State Department ends third country national processing for nonimmigrant visas

On September 6, 2025, the State Department ended third country national processing for nonimmigrant visas. Starting immediately, applicants must schedule visa interviews in their country of nationality or residence.

Previously, applicants could schedule nonimmigrant visa interviews in a third country, which offered flexibility for foreign nationals traveling to third countries for vacations, conferences, or business. Applicants also used third country national processing as a way to avoid long appointment wait times in their home countries. That practice has now ended.

This comes on the heels of a similar update in which where the State Department ended third country national processing for immigrant visas.

Overall, nonimmigrant visa processing times will likely increase in high demand countries (e.g., India and China), while processing times in countries with less demand may decrease.

The official announcement can be found here.