Visa waits pushed to 2027
The U.S. embassy in Abu Dhabi has pushed some visa appointments as far out as 2027, citing regional disruptions and operational strain—meaning applicants should expect multi‑year scheduling delays at high‑demand posts (m9.news).
Several Abu Dhabi interview slots were rescheduled to July 2027 after routine appointments were canceled amid the disruptions, according to a recent report that tracked individual applicant changes. (m9.news) The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai were ordered closed for routine services in early March 2026 and issued shelter-in-place guidance while consular staff were reduced or temporarily relocated. (gulfnews.com) High-volume employment categories including H-1B and L-1 nonimmigrant interviews have been pushed into 2026–2027 at multiple posts, a pattern legal analysts link to new screening protocols and capacity shortfalls. (immigrationfleet.com) State Department data published in late 2025 showed Abu Dhabi’s B-1/B-2 interview wait averaged about 14.4 months before the recent operational shocks, placing it among the longest waits globally. (visahq.com) The Abu Dhabi and Dubai visa systems switched contractors in 2025 and both posts suspended new appointment bookings in mid‑May 2025 while the platform changeover occurred on May 30, 2025. (ais.usvisa-info.com) Policy changes requiring most immigrant‑visa interviews to occur in the applicant’s country of residence took effect November 1, 2025, concentrating demand at local posts and limiting the use of third‑country interview slots unless cleared by the NVC. (visahq.com) Multiple law‑firm and mobility advisories published in March 2026 instructed practitioners to monitor embassy webpages daily and noted that ongoing military and diplomatic activity in the region has produced rolling suspensions and rapid schedule changes. (wolfsdorf.com)
