The Department of State has suspended visa services in Haiti
The information below outlines options Haitian nationals seeking U.S. visas may consider.
Immigrant Visas
Immigrant visas are for foreign nationals who intend to live and/or work permanently in the United States. In most cases, a relative or employer sponsors the individual by filing a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Further information on immigrant visas can be found here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate.html.
The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince has suspended routine immigrant visa appointments until further notice. Immigrant visa applicants who can travel to another U.S. embassy or consulate that processes immigrant visas and remain in that country for the duration of their visa processing should consider requesting the transfer of their case from U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince using the instructions below:
If the case is at U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince: Applicants may contact a new U.S. embassy or consulate in writing to request the transfer of their immigrant visa case. Applicants can find the contact information for Immigrant Visa Units at U.S. embassies and consulates at https://usembassy.gov/. The applicant should provide evidence, if possible, of their presence in the country to which they would like their case to be transferred, or documentation of their ability to enter and remain in that country for the duration of the immigrant visa process.
If the Case is Pending at the National Visa Center (NVC): Applicants may contact NVC at https://nvc.state.gov/inquiry to request a transfer to another immigrant visa processing post. Applicants should be prepared to provide evidence of the ability to enter and remain in the requested country for the duration of the process.
Applicants may also request NVC expedite their case at the new consular section by emailing NVCExpedite@state.gov and providing the specific reason for their expedite request. Please be aware expedited case processing does not apply to family preference visa categories where a case is not current.
The Department of State continues to communicate with U.S. adoptive families in the intercountry adoption process and adoption service providers regarding recent developments in Haiti, and we are assessing the situation as it unfolds. The Department is responding to individual inquiries from Adoption Service Providers and prospective adoptive parents.
We are working as quickly as possible to identify options for continued case processing and assisted departure for Haitian children in the intercountry adoption process, while meeting U.S. laws, regulations, and our Hague Convention obligations as well as minimizing the risk of Haitian children coming to the United States with no clear path to legal status.
We are also working with Haiti’s child welfare authority, the Institut du Bien-Être Social et de Recherches (IBESR), to assist Haitian adoptive children in obtaining exit permissions, while we work on solutions at other stages of the intercountry adoption process.
Prospective adoptive parents should remain in regular contact with their adoption service providers in the United States.
U.S. citizens who have adopted Haitian children through the domestic Haitian process (rather than an intercountry adoption) and have an appointment date from USCIS for an N-600K interview may apply for a B-1/B-2 visa for the child to attend the interview and naturalize. This is appropriate only for children who do not intend to reside in the United States. See Nonimmigrant Visas below.
Nonimmigrant Visas
Most nonimmigrant visa categories require the applicant to demonstrate intent to leave the United States after a temporary stay.
The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince has suspended routine nonimmigrant visa appointments until further notice. The U.S. Embassy in Port au Prince can only accept expedited nonimmigrant visa appointments for life-or-death medical emergencies (with proof of travel plans) or to facilitate travel for a child with a confirmed USCIS appointment for a naturalization interview based on a Form N-600K. Applicants can submit a request for an expedited NIV appointment by following the instructions provided at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ht/en/nonimmigrant-visa.
Nonimmigrant visa applicants may apply at any embassy or consulate where they are physically present and where appointments are available. A full list of embassies and consulates is available here: https://www.usembassy.gov/. Appointment wait times are available at U.S. Visas (state.gov). Once an interview appointment is made, applicants can request an expedited appointment but must describe the unique circumstances that justify such a request.
