Hello, this is Matsui from IMS. I think many people are currently wondering whether they can really go to the United States, including business professionals who were supposed to be transferred and students who are planning to study in the summer. Unfortunately, it is not clear at this time when appointments for interviews at U.S. embassies and consulates will resume. Yesterday, all of the interview reservations for the second half of June were canceled. The effect of the coronavirus on U.S. visa interviews to date are as follows:
Effects of the Coronavirus Infection on U.S. Visa Interviews to Date
Evening of March 18th: The U.S. Embassy announced that all interview reservations after 3/19 were canceled.
Early April: Interview slots for June and later opened, making it possible to reserve interview times.
⇒ There were very few interview slots at the Embassy in Tokyo, so it was like a competition to secure these spots!
Late May: Interviews in the first half of June were canceled again, and spots opened up for August.
The ability to make reservations disappeared.
June 4th: All interviews in the second half of June were canceled.
Limit on Visa Interview Rescheduling
Unfortunately, many IMS customers have already had their interview canceled twice. Normally, you can only change your interview appointment times up to two times, but now you can change it up to five times free of charge. However, even cancellations made by the Embassy itself count against this limit.
At the moment, the appointments for July and August interviews remain, but I feel that there is a possibility they may be canceled again depending on the situation. Also, there are no appointments available at this time and no way to make appointments.
Options for Mail-In Visa Applications
Due to the suspension of interviews, the conditions for mail-in applications have been slightly relaxed. Children up to the age of 13 and those over the age of 80 do not need an interview, so you can apply by mail. In addition, when requesting renewal of the same visa, an interview may not be required and a mail-in application may be sufficient. We recommend that customers who meet these conditions submit their application by mail. The other day, I applied by mail on behalf of a customer, and the visa was issued smoothly. If you are unsure if your situation applies, please contact IMS.
For more information, please contact us below ↓
https://imsvisa.support/en/contact/
