Today the Department of State announced further restrictions:
- Effective immediately, all in-person and interview-waiver appointments are cancelled at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and U.S. Consulates General in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata until May 15, 2021. Emergency services for U.S. citizens will continue and these posts will make every effort to honor emergency visa appointments.
- Effective immediately, the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai is only providing emergency services to U.S. citizens and emergency visa services. Drop-box appointments will continue to be honored.
Due to limited appointment availability, we are currently unable to reschedule any cancelled appointments. We are also unable to speculate on or respond to inquiries regarding potential future cancellations or appointment availability.
New appointments can be made through our website at http://ustraveldocs.com/in. Please continue to monitor our appointment website for appointment availability. Detailed information on the current status of visa services and restrictions related to the COVID-19 global pandemic can be found at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-19-information.html.
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As noted yesterday, although no travel restrictions from India have been announced, individuals traveling to or already present in India who require a visa should expect significant delays in visa issuance, including through the interview waiver (or “drop box”) program.
For additional information, please see https://in.usembassy.gov/visas/
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April 26, 2021
LAC Client Alert: Operations of U.S. Consulates in India
Our thoughts go out to our clients, colleagues and their families in India as the country struggles with rising COVID-19 rates.
Please be advised that the State Department has updated information regarding U.S. consular post operations in India as a result of the public health situation. Please see https://in.usembassy.gov/visas/
LAC recommends that individuals who must obtain a visa stamp to return to the U.S. postpone their travel to India if possible. At this time India is not among the countries for which a ban currently applies to non-immigrants returning to the U.S. However, this could change with little notice.
Effective April 22, 2021, Canada has banned passenger flights from India and Pakistan for 30 days due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in that region.
This update was prepared by Fausta M. Albi, Partner, Larrabee Albi Coker LLP.
Legal Disclaimer: This e-blast is provided for informational purposes only and does not substitute for legal advice based on the circumstances of a specific matter. Immigration laws and policies change frequently, often without notice. It is therefore important to seek direct legal counsel based upon individual circumstances.