New Visa Services Launched for Certain European and African Countries

 

On September 30, 2024, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) launched a new visa appointment system called AVITS, aimed at improving services for visa applicants. The system is currently active in several countries, including:

Belgium, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, The Netherlands, Rwanda, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.

For those with previously scheduled appointments in the old system, the existing appointments remain valid, and instructions for creating a new account will be sent to the registered email. However, there are reports regarding issues with the new system, including payment problems and difficulties booking appointments using certain USCIS receipt numbers.

The new system can be accessed at: https://www.usvisaappt.com/visa/.  Applicants are encouraged to visit the local U.S. Embassy websites for FAQs and updates.

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)