As a result of current affairs, the United states recently announced a freeze for U.S. Consular visa processing in Turkey. However, what does this really mean, and how does a Foreign national process his or her pending case when the United States closes a consulate ? Good news…as this is not the first time a U.S. Consulate has halted processing without notice, there are a couple basic steps to take whenever this situation occurs.(before panicking).
First, determine which visas are specifically not being processed by that location. A sudden halt in U.S. Consular processing of visas does not mean an automatic and immediate end to all visa processing. In the case of Turkey, permanent immigrant visas in some cases may still be processed to conclusion. However, non-immigrant visas such as temporary work visas, or investor visas are not currently being processed in Turkey.
Second, find out if a pending application at the closed consulate may be transferred to a consulate located in another country. Processing in another country may be the answer to keep your non-immigrant visa application moving despite a halt to a specific country’s embassy or U.S. Consulate. One would need a U.S. Immigration attorney to assist in the steps needed to successfully transfer the case.
In sum, working with an experienced AILA immigration lawyer is critical when a freeze occurs at a specific US Consulate/Embassy. There are solutions, and guidance is provided by the Department of State (“DOS”) in which immigration lawyers keep abreast in order to find solutions for clients.
Vassell & LeeRC Law Group provides free initial screening consultations with our lawyers or you may request our standard consultation. Our contact information is conveniently available at www.vasselllaw.com.
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