The COVID-19 pandemic and the need to prioritize the health of our staff and visitors has drastically impacted all consular processing at U.S. Consulate General Amsterdam.
We recognize that applicants in nonimmigrant visa categories, especially students, journalists, and business travelers, are having difficulty scheduling timely appointments for visa interviews, and in some cases no appointments are currently available. While we deeply regret the frustrations created by this situation, demand for appointments is far outstripping our resources and the Consulate expects to be dealing with backlogs and delays for the foreseeable future. Current travel restrictions also limit the types of appointments we can offer.
Throughout the pandemic, our U.S. embassies and consulates have prioritized services to U.S. citizens overseas, as well as urgent and mission-critical visa services (such as for those coming to assist with the U.S. response to the pandemic). Posts that are able to provide additional services are prioritizing immigrant visas for immediate family members of U.S. citizens, including spouses and children, intercountry adoptions, and fiancé(e)s, as well as certain special immigrant visas. Posts that are also able to process nonimmigrant visas are prioritizing urgent or mission-critical travelers, cases with extreme humanitarian considerations, as well as those vital to public health or national security, followed by students, exchange visitors, and temporary employment visas. Consulate General Amsterdam is making additional nonimmigrant appointments available whenever possible. Applicants are strongly encouraged to check the website frequently for additional appointment opportunities. (Wait times at all visa-issuing posts are available at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html )
We are acutely aware of the time sensitivity for students seeking to begin the fall semester at U.S. institutions. Subject to pandemic conditions, the Consulate General Amsterdam will make every effort to get students in for visa appointments in time to attend their academic programs. We recognize the important contributions international students make to our college and university campuses, the positive impact they have on U.S. communities, and the rich benefits of academic cooperation in increasing cultural understanding and furthering research and knowledge.
The Consulate will publish any new information on our website and relevant social media platforms.
