In this video, we'll talk about the latest information with respect to embassies reopening
worldwide, what's happening, who's open, who's closed, and what to expect. We get
so many questions and I posted a few updates in the past week. But this video is the most
recent information. So, make sure you stay tuned. And I'll see you on the other side.
Hey, everybody. Thanks for joining me in this video update on embassies reopening worldwide.
This is one of the most common questions people are asking, anxious to know what's
going to happen next. And I kind of gathered together all the recent information that I have.
I've also posted about it about a week ago and I wanted to do a video to kind of recap
everything. So, let's talk about it in this video. So, if you’re here for the first time,
make sure you subscribe to our channel. Click that bell to be notified so you don't miss videos.
We release videos every single week. Also, give us a big like to make sure that YouTube
is going to show the video to more people just like you who are interested in this
information. My name is Jacob Sapochnik and I am an immigration attorney located here in San Diego,
California. We serve clients in all 50 states and across the globe. We help clients, in embassies
and consulates all over the world, trying to help push your cases forward. So, let's talk about the
latest updates with embassies and consulates. We've got all of this information for you. So,
the State Department is estimating more than 100,000 visas that are going to be available
in most of the employment-based categories. This is a combination of many factors, USCIS closure,
delays in visas, issuing the visa bans. And all these things created a surplus of visas to be used
specifically in employment-based cases. US embassies and consulates are reopening
worldwide. As you know, I reported in the video before that they started reopening in July 15. My
suggestion to you, as soon as your embassy has reopened, you have to contact them right away
to start scheduling your visa interview so it's going to go on their calendar as soon as possible.
That's why it's very important for you to be in contact with your specific consulate or embassy,
check their website on a weekly basis to see when will they reopen, when will they resume
regular visa processing so you can contact them and try to schedule your visa appointment as soon
as possible. We've seen that some embassies that did reopen and did schedule appointments, they
sometimes had to reschedule those appointments because of COVID-19 because the situation in a
particular country has changed drastically. So, remember, if your appointment is rescheduled,
you're not going to have to pay the fee, the visa fees again, you're just going to show up when they
rescheduled you that appointment. So once again, make sure that you track that and be in touch with
your particular embassy or consulate to make sure that you are aware when is your interview
scheduled so you’re never going to miss that interview. Also, one important thing to remember
is that most consulates and embassies that are currently not working on a regular basis
or on shut down, they do entertain emergency appointments for your particular situation.
So, make sure you take advantage of that and I mentioned it before in previous videos,
there are ways for you to file for an emergency appointment. It could be because of a very long
separation, because of minor children, because of a health situation, whatever that is,
make sure that you look in your situation and see if it warrants that exception and try to file for
it because embassies do grant those emergency appointments. A final thing to remember, if
you do apply for an emergency appointment and you feel that the visa forms in your appointment is…
any of your requests are denied, you will lose the visa fees that you filed to try to schedule
an appointment. This is just how it is in the policy. So, let's look at some of the consulates
and what they're doing right now. And I have a list here right now that I can go over. We’ll
start with Canada. Canada, routine visa services remain suspended until further notice the embassy
and consulates continue to provide emergency mission critical visa services. So, Canada
is currently not working on a regular basis but does entertain emergency services. France,
the US Embassy in Paris has reopened its calendar and now they're accepting appointments. If you
have a case in Paris, make sure you schedule your appointment directly with that embassy.
The appointments are currently taking place, now, beginning of August.
If you look at Italy, visa appointments remain suspended to this day.
Sweden, routine appointments remain suspended. They do entertain emergency appointments. Poland,
routine visa appointments remain suspended. They do take emergency appointments. Turkey,
the same way, remains suspended. We have questions here for embassies in Africa. So, we know that
Kenya and as well as Nigeria, those consulates, as far as we know, that's the information that
we have, those remain suspended at the moment. Israel still remains suspended
as COVID cases are really significantly increasing in their country. And they were about to open but
then they decided to close. Mexico, Mexico City has reopened consulates as well as Guadalajara
and Juarez. I believe they're going to start scheduling appointments in mid-August. Argentina,
non-immigrant visas, and immigrant visas can schedule appointments from mid-August.
Brazil, the embassy remains closed. No appointments are available, only emergency,
at the moment. Chile, routine embassy appointments are being suspended. India, embassies,
and consulates canceled older appointments because the consulates are closed at the moment. Japan,
consulates, and embassies remain closed, only emergency appointments are available. The Embassy
in London has reopened on July 25. And they continue to schedule non-immigrant and immigrant
appointments at a moment. The Embassy in Manila, once again, remains closed, and only emergency
appointments are available. The Embassy Manila, as you remember, they were not accepting K1 cases
in early June but then they changed their position, and they are accepting K1 cases.
But they're not open for routine visa processes. And so, you have to make an emergency appointment
at the moment. The Embassy in Morocco, many of you were asking and we inquired about it.
And we received information that the embassy in Morocco has not reopened yet.
But they will reopen in September. The US embassy and consulates in Ukraine remain to be closed
until further notice. We have no information from Ukraine. I know many of you were asking me
but they do accept emergency appointments. And those are issued within 24 hours. Currently, the
embassy and consulates in Singapore still remain closed. They only accept emergency appointments.
We have an unofficial announcement from their consulate that they will be
starting to adjudicate cases in September but I don't have anything official on that. So,
this is pretty much a summary of the consulates that we know.
Again, things change on a regular basis. The prediction of the State Department is that they
gave a general notice to consulates to reopen on July 15. And again, it depends
on the country’s conditions. Some countries are experiencing significant COVID increase,
and therefore, their consulates are closing. Some consulates started reissuing appointments,
and then they close and cancel those appointments as I mentioned at the beginning of the video.
So, the situation remains fluid all over the world. It is really important for you to stay
connected with your consulate and embassy to know that as soon as they reopen,
you're going to be able to jump on the calendar to receive your appointment scheduled right away. So
once again, let me know in the comments if you have any questions and let me know
what consulate/embassy you would like to know. And we'll try to get information for you from
the State Department, specifically. I'm trying to get more information right now from consulates
in Pakistan, in many of the African countries, we sent requests to try to get information.
We also try to work with some consulates and embassies in Eastern Europe. And as soon as we get
information, I'll make another video to update you all on that information as well. So once again,
if you’re here for the first time, make sure you subscribe to our channel. Click that bell to be
notified when videos are released. And also, subscribe to our… join our Facebook group,
a private Facebook group where we share more information. We'll try to get some more… we
have a lot of members from different parts of the world and they let us know firsthand
if they know of an embassy that has reopened so we'll be able to share that in the group. So,
make sure you join our group and become part of our community. Once again, thank you for watching.
Stay patient, stay safe. I appreciate you all and I'll see you in our next video.