The Proclamation on Revoking Proclamation 10014 allows the Department of State to immediately begin reconsideration of those immigrant visa applications that were denied due to the proclamations. The DOS requests that individuals affected by the proclamations wait for instruction from the consulate or embassy processing the visa.

Department of State Instructions for Immigrant Visa Applicants

Not Yet Interviewed:  Immigrant visa applicants who have not yet been interviewed or scheduled for an interview will have their applications processed according to our existing phased resumption of visa services framework.

Previously Refused:  Immigrant visa applicants whose petitions remain valid and who were previously interviewed but refused visas due to P.P. 10014 should wait for instructions from the U.S. embassy or consulate where they were interviewed.  The Department of State will reconsider cases that were previously refused because of P.P. 10014 and will inform applicants if additional information is needed.

Diversity Visa 2020 Applicants:  Those holding diversity visas issued in 2020 that are still valid may seek entry to the United States immediately, despite the visa annotation, “Entry Subject to PP 10014.”  Individuals whose DV-2020 visas have expired may not be issued replacement visas; however, individuals who received diversity visas in 2020 as a result of orders in the court case Gomez v. Trump may travel to the United States on an expired visa as the court ordered the government to treat these visas as though they were issued on the date P.P. 10014 was rescinded. The court did not specify for how long the visas would be considered valid.   Additionally, it may be possible that the court order could be changed or modified in some important respect.  Therefore, applicants wishing to benefit from the order are encouraged to travel as soon as practicable as the order could change.

The Secretary of State has granted a national interest exception for Diversity Visa (DV) applicants for the 2020 fiscal year (DV-2020) who hold a valid immigrant visa and are subject to the geographic COVID-19 Presidential Proclamations.  In addition, diversity visa applicants for DV-2020 who were not issued visas before September 30, 2020 for any reason including P.P. 10014 will not be interviewed, scheduled, or reconsidered for visas, as those applicants were only eligible for issuance of a visa through the end of the 2020 fiscal year, which ended on September 30, 2020.

Diversity Visa 2021 Applicants:  DV applicants for the 2021 fiscal year (DV-2021) should wait to be notified of the scheduling of an interview in accordance with the phased resumption of visa services framework.

Geographic COVID-19 Restrictions

The geographic COVID-19-related P.P.s 9984, 9992, and 10143, which suspend entry into the United States of foreign nationals who have been physically present in the People’s Republic of China, Islamic Republic of Iran, Schengen Area, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Brazil, and South Africa, in the 14-day period before seeking entry into the United States, remain in effect.  Immigrant visa applicants who are spouses or children of U.S. citizens (IR/CR-1, IR/CR-2, IR/IH-3, and IR/IH-4), as well as spouses and minor children of LPRs (F2A), are excepted from the geographic COVID-19 P.P.s.  All other immigrant visa applicants and K fiancé nonimmigrant visa applicants remain subject to these geographic COVID-19 P.P.s., unless another exception applies.

Resumption of All Visa Services

We are resuming routine visa services on a post-by-post basis, following State Department guidance to safely return our workforce and the public to Department facilities.  U.S. embassies and consulates continue to provide emergency and mission-critical visa services.  As post-specific conditions improve, our embassies and consulates will begin providing additional services and will resume routine visa services completely as soon as it is safe to do so for the public and for our workforce.  Applicants should check the website of their nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for updates on what visa services are currently available.

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