Alert – U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China Cancel Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visa Interviews for the Week of February 3
Key Takeaways
- It has been reported that the U.S. Embassy and consulates in China cancelled both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa interviews for the week of Feb. 3.
- The cancellations affect routine consular interviews — family and employment immigrant visas and nonimmigrant categories such as tourist (B), student (F/M), work (H/L) and investor (E/EB‑5) visas.
- Consular processing is handled by the U.S. Department of State; cancellations do not change USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) adjudications but will delay visa issuance and travel.
- Affected applicants should monitor official embassy/consulate pages, follow rescheduling instructions, and contact the National Visa Center (NVC) or local appointment service if urgent travel is needed.
What happened
It has been reported that the U.S. Embassy and consulates in China announced cancellations of immigrant and nonimmigrant visa interviews scheduled for the week beginning Feb. 3. The notice reportedly applies to both immigrant visa interviews (family‑ and employment‑based) and routine nonimmigrant interviews (tourist, student, work, and investor categories). No detailed public explanation has been confirmed in the reporting available to date.
Who is affected and why it matters
The cancellations will directly affect applicants waiting for a consular interview in China — including family‑sponsored immigrants, employment‑based applicants, student visa holders awaiting entry to U.S. schools, and EB‑5 investors (a group that follows EB‑5 Insights closely). Consular processing of visas is handled by the U.S. Department of State; USCIS continues to adjudicate petitions like I‑130s and I‑140s, but applicants cannot complete the final visa step without a consular interview. Practically, that means approved petitions may sit pending an interview date, travel plans get postponed, and timelines for entering the U.S. or reuniting families are extended.
What applicants should do now
Check the official U.S. Embassy or consulate website where your interview was scheduled for the latest notices and follow any instructions for rescheduling. For immigrant visa applicants, the National Visa Center (NVC) usually posts guidance about appointment changes; keep your contact information current with NVC. Nonimmigrant applicants can often rebook through the Visa Appointment Service portal or request an emergency appointment with evidence of urgent travel. Keep documentation (approval notices, receipts, medical exam confirmations) ready — consular posts typically reschedule rather than refund application fees.
Context and next steps
U.S. consular operations in China have seen intermittent disruptions in recent years due to public‑health, logistical, and bilateral operational challenges. A single week of cancellations can contribute to backlogs that already affect some categories, notably investor (EB‑5) cases and family reunification queues where timing is critical. If your case is time‑sensitive (job start date, academic term, immigration deadlines), contact an immigration attorney or your sponsoring employer/family member for help escalating the matter through NVC or the consulate.
Source: [Original Article](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixAJBVV95cUxQaFNrbTg4dkhXOGxORGdQLU5nX05SbVQ5U3hEc2c0X0pXSVE0UTk4VXdxU2dFUWk2eTJzYUNpQy1YcERXZ3JZZS1JamgxWDdGdUw3NF9CTkRVeGVFWUxiSnNkREtRdWNfemxKY19tanpOcmNQTmhuLVlERHBFRENXLWVuYzlJQUlwc1VvSjlKeVhWMktCWlJqWTV3V3F6Qzd3eWxYNGV4T255dHRDN094Y3YxTHJkRGQza1VJMVZIZ2JHSUNUWmQ4Rk9UQXhoQ3RyTDU1Vi1NX21KLVUzNzdRVTBnYlotM2FEa2JXWFVKcXlZSkM5Z1V2ZFppRFNUQ0pCU296RmtGcGx6cXBLSXBEQ1hsLVhKbHlOMWFESjN2TF9LSWdacWlDUXhxeFAyZVkteWlLUEhWdi1EQ2tiNVRtSVhiUjc?oc=5