State Department Makes Progress With System Repairs, But Visa Delays Persist

United States

According to its latest update, the State Department is making progress toward repairing its worldwide computer system outage.  At least thirty-nine U.S. consular posts were reported to have been reconnected to the visa system yesterday, and more are expected to come back online in the coming days.  But because the biometric clearance database is not yet in operation, many visa applications remain pending.

The following posts resumed some visa processing operations as of Tuesday: Buenos Aires, Beijing, Bogota, Brasilia, Chengdu, Chennai,  Ciudad Juarez,  Guadalajara, Guangzhou, Guayaquil, Hanoi, Hermosillo, Ho Chi Minh, Karachi, Kingston, Kyiv, Lagos,  Laredo, Lima, London, Manila, Merida, Mexico City, Monterrey, Moscow, Mumbai, New Delhi, Nuevo, Paris, Quito, Rio de Janeiro, San Salvador, Santo Domingo, Sao Paolo, Seoul, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tel Aviv, Tijuana.  Fragomen has confirmed that consular posts in Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo are also back online.  The remaining posts are expected to be reconnected by the end of this weekend. 

Though many high-volume consulates are reconnected to the system, their ability to complete visa processing remains limited because biometrics processing – essential for required security clearances - has not yet been fully restored. 

Many posts have begun scheduling initial interviews and rescheduling cancelled interviews.  In limited cases, applicants who were interviewed prior to or during the outage have reported receiving their visas. 

What This Means for Visa Applicants

The State Department’s latest announcement is hopeful news for thousands awaiting visa issuance abroad, but it is likely to take several weeks or more for the visa application backlog to be resolved.  Foreign nationals are encouraged to regularly check their consulate’s website and appointment system for the most current information on processing at the post.

The State Department has confirmed that consulates will continue to give priority to humanitarian cases and temporary agricultural workers.  Expedite requests for humanitarian emergencies continue to be entertained; foreign nationals with an emergent need to travel should contact their local consulate and their Fragomen team.

Fragomen continues to monitor the visa system outage closely and will provide updates as new information becomes available. If you have any questions about visa processing, please contact your designated Fragomen professional.

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