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Updated on 15.10.2024
There are important changes to interview appointment scheduling, fee payment and passport delivery via the official visa service providers.
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The U.S. Department of State (DOS) is planning important changes to the US visa application process. At present, the visa application processes are being optimized in cooperation with the various service providers. The official visa service providers are responsible for coordinating interview appointments, fee payments and passport delivery for the respective US consulates worldwide via various websites and platforms.
In some countries, such as the Netherlands and France, a new system was introduced on September 30, 2024 with the visa service provider AVITS. Since then, new online profiles for making appointments and paying the visa fee must be created via the new system and existing (old) visa profiles must be transferred.
For other European countries, such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland, a new booking system and new online profiles for US nonimmigrant visas and US immigrant visas will be introduced on October 26, 2024.
According to our internal information, the previous provider USTravelDocs (CGI Federal Inc.) will most likely remain responsible after the switch on October 26, 2024 - but there will be changes.
From October 22 to 25, 2024, the current system will be unavailable or only available to a very limited extent. Applicants cannot
Other consular services, such as interview appointments that have already been scheduled, will continue to take place as planned at the local US consulates. However, there may be delays in processing and issuing visas and delivering passports.
From October 26, 2024, US nonimmigrant and immigrant visas will be processed via the new portal. Existing online profiles will be transferred automatically, including interview appointments that have already been scheduled and payments already made.
However, applicants must officially re-register in the new system using the e-mail address previously used.
Furthermore, the US authorities have announced that the fees for the passport delivery and for the postal submission procedure will be changed to one amount per visa application (e.g. per person) from October 26, 2024. It remains to be seen in which countries a new tariff for the Premium Service will apply and whether applicants who selected and paid for the fee-based Premium Service before the system transfer may be affected by an additional payment.
Individuals with current US visa applications should update their existing visa profile by October 21, 2024 at the latest and check whether the payment of the visa application fee has been correctly deposited in order to prevent problems when transferring to the new system.
Anyone who has not yet scheduled an appointment for the visa interview or paid the visa fee before the system changeover can do so in the new online profile after the transfer.
As mentioned above, during the week from October 22 to 25, 2024, you will not be able to schedule any new interview appointment or make any new fee payment.
In the first few days after the system changeover, there may be technical problems or delays in the process. Other, currently unknown changes may also occur.
We recommend that visa applicants check their new visa profile carefully after the transfer or activation to ensure that all information has been entered correctly.
We from The American Dream - US Visa Service support our customers during the entire implementation phase. Our US visa consultants take care of the necessary system transfers as well as new registrations and ensure that all data is entered correctly in the new visa profile.
Despite the temporary system outage, we are well prepared to continue processing your visa applications and to resolve any problems quickly in direct contact with the relevant US authorities or service providers.
Further details on the changes regarding US visa services can be found on the country-specific websites of the official visa service provider at www.ustraveldocs.com.
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