U.S. consular services suspended
The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai remain closed until further notice, and routine consular services — including visa processing and passport services — are suspended after non‑emergency staff were ordered to leave on March 3 (blog.wego.com). Travelers and applicants who normally use those posts are being routed to alternative processing channels because those routine services are not currently available (blog.wego.com).
The United States has shut its embassy in Abu Dhabi and its consulate in Dubai to routine public business, leaving visa and passport applicants in the United Arab Emirates without normal in-person processing. (ae.usembassy.gov) The State Department ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and family members to leave the United Arab Emirates on March 2, 2026, citing the threat of armed conflict. The mission then said on March 4 that both posts were closed and could not provide services until further notice. (travel.state.gov, ae.usembassy.gov) By March 26, the U.S. mission said all routine consular services remained suspended and told people not to approach either facility unless specifically directed to do so. Earlier alerts said visa, American Citizen Services, and notary appointments were canceled beginning March 2. (ae.usembassy.gov, ae.usembassy.gov) That means two different groups are affected at once: foreign nationals seeking U.S. visas and Americans in the United Arab Emirates who need passport or other consular help. The embassy said emergency cases can still be raised through its contact channels, but routine walk-in or scheduled service is not available. (ae.usembassy.gov, ae.usembassy.gov) The practical problem is that U.S. consulates are where visas are interviewed and passports are issued or renewed abroad. Since September 6, 2025, the State Department has told most nonimmigrant visa applicants to book interviews in their country of residence or nationality, which limits how easily applicants can shift to a third country when a post closes. (travel.state.gov, travel.state.gov) For applicants whose passports are already inside the U.S. system in the United Arab Emirates, the disruption is more immediate. The mission said foreign passports and U.S. passports already being held will be returned only when security conditions permit. (ae.usembassy.gov, ae.usembassy.gov) The closure also sits inside a broader U.S. warning about travel to the country. The current State Department advisory rates the United Arab Emirates at Level 3, or “Reconsider Travel,” because of the threat of armed conflict and terrorism. (travel.state.gov) For now, the clearest date in the story is March 26, when the U.S. mission publicly said routine services were still suspended. Until the embassy announces reopening plans, people who normally rely on Abu Dhabi or Dubai have to wait for direct instructions or seek whatever alternatives the State Department makes available elsewhere. (ae.usembassy.gov, travel.state.gov)
