Since March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected the Department of State's ability to process immigrant visa applications. United States embassies and consulates are working to resume routine visa services on a location-by-location basis as quickly and safely as possible. 

However, the pandemic continues to severely affect the number of visas that our embassies and consulates abroad can process. Particular limitations vary based on local conditions and restrictions, but include local and national blackouts; travel restriction; host country quarantine regulations; and the measures adopted by our embassies and consulates to contain the spread of COVID-19.  

On February 2, 2021, President Biden issued the Executive Order (EO) 14012 about restoring faith in our legal immigration systems. Although we continue to face real and persistent challenges in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are committed to resolving the immigrant visa backlog and transparently sharing the current status of our visa operations around the world, while remaining dedicated to the safety of our staff and applicants, and the national security of the United States.