Effective September 6, 2025, all nonimmigrant visa applicants should schedule their interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of residence or nationality.

Find a U.S. Embassy or Consulate that processes visas in your country of nationality or residence.

Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere. Please see the list of Designated Nonimmigrant Visa Locations and Designated Immigrant Visa Locations for visa processing.

Who Can Be Issued a Visa at a U.S. Consulate Border Post?

Not everyone is eligible to apply for a visa at a Consulate in a third country. You are only eligible to do so if you have never been out of status in the U.S. because you overstayed the terms of your visa. If you remained in the U.S. longer than the period authorized (as indicated on your Form I-94), you are required to apply for a new visa in your country of nationality. If you are not certain whether you have violated your immigration status, please check with .

You should also be aware that you may be more likely to encounter some difficulties at the time of your visa interview when you apply outside your home country. Consular Officers are instructed to deny your visa application if they have reason to believe they cannot properly adjudicate your case. Some of the reasons you might be denied a visa include suspicion of fraud, insufficient knowledge of local conditions in your home country, unfamiliarity with documents from your home country, or, if you are a student or an exchange visitor, failure to provide sufficient evidence that you will return to your home country at the end of your stay in the U.S.

Most importantly, if you apply for an F-1 or J-1 entry visa, you cannot return to the U.S. until your visa is issued. If the visa is denied, you will not be able to return to the U.S. as a student. Visit the U.S. Visa Service, which provides appointments for consulates in Canada, or click here for the embassy in Tijuana, Mexico.