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Routine immigrant visa operations have resumed at the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan, while non-immigrant visa services remain limited.
In response to significant health challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Embassy in Abidjan remains unable to resume routine nonimmigrant visa services at this time. We are currently offering a limited number of student and petition-based visa appointments and will continue to provide emergency and mission-critical visa services as resources and local conditions allow. In case of emergency, visit our website and read the instructions on how to submit an expedited visa appointment: https://ustraveldocs.com/ci/ci-niv-expeditedappointment.asp.
The U.S. Mission to Cote d’Ivoire understands that many visa applicants have paid the visa application processing fee and are still waiting to schedule a visa appointment. In the meantime, rest assured that the U.S. Mission will extend the validity of your payment (known as the MRV fee) until September 30, 2023, to allow all applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment as a result of the suspension of routine consular operations an opportunity to schedule and/or attend a visa appointment with the already paid fee. Please continue to monitor this site for information on when we will return to routine visa operations.
U.S. Embassy Abidjan is providing immigrant visa services as resources allow. We are prioritizing the processing of immigrant and fiancée visas, particularly for immediate relatives and other family-sponsored applicants. We are also prioritizing the processing of immigrant visa cases previously refused under the rescinded Presidential Proclamations 9645 and 9983.
U.S. Embassy Abidjan is committed to transparently and regularly sharing the status of visa operations. The health and safety of our personnel and individuals seeking visas is paramount, and we have not resumed routine serviced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are currently offering a limited number of student and petition-based visa appointments and will continue to provide emergency and mission-critical visa services as resources and local conditions allow. Student visa appointments are very limited and the current appointment wait time is several weeks, including for any expedited appointments.
INTERVIEW WAIVER: F1 student visa applicants and B1/B2 tourist visa applicants who meet certain criteria may be eligible for interview waiver before December 31, 2021. Please visit our appointment website at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ci to determine your eligibility.
Students should schedule their appointment as soon as possible upon receiving an I-20. Student visas for qualified applicants can be issued as early as 120 days in advance of the start of the program. Please visit our website at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ci to start a visa application.
We acknowledge the stress and hardships visa applicants have borne due to reduced operating capacity as a result of COVID and necessary measures taken to protect health and safety or to comply with local requirements, as well as COVID-related limitations on their travel or visa issuance. We also recognize the importance of each visa category. However, during the pandemic, U.S. Embassies worldwide have been forced to make difficult decisions regarding how our consular sections should prioritize visa applications as they operate at limited capacity and work through a backlog of visa cases. We thank all past, current, and future visa applicants for their continued patience and understanding.
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship or nationality.
Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program. The Visa section of this website is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States. If you cannot find what you are looking for here, please visit Travel.State.gov for additional information.
Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa for travel to the United States, but when planning travel abroad a U.S. citizen may need a visa issued by the embassy or consulate of the country they wish to visit.
For nonimmigrant visas, you can go directly to the online application for the DS-160; or for immigrant visas, directly to the USCIS site for the relevant forms. If you are unsure, please use the Visa Wizard below to help you determine your visa type.
Treaty Trader & Investor Visas
Treaty Trader (E-1) and Treaty Investor (E-2) visas are for citizens of countries with which the United States maintains treaties of commerce and navigation.
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers
The pamphlet linked below informs you of your rights as a nonimmigrant visa holder in certain employment- and education-based categories.
Rights and Protections for Immigrant Visa Applicants
The pamphlet informs applicants applying for K-1 visas, K-3, IR-1/CR-1 immigrant visas, and F2A immigrant visas of their legal rights relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.
Medical Exam Procedure & Costs
Only the panel physician agreed by the U.S. Embassy is authorized to provide medical examinations for immigration purposes.
Information for Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs)
If you are a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR), special travel considerations apply that you should be aware of.
Tips for Online Document Submission
View tips for Uploading supporting documentation to CEAC.
All entrants to the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan must wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth, and must continue to wear the mask while in the Consular Section unless instructed to remove it by a consular officer. Individuals who may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 may not enter U.S. Embassy grounds.
Mobile phones and other electronic devices are not permitted on U.S. Embassy grounds, including the Consular Section.
Starting October 1, 2021, in accordance with a new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) policy, immigrant visa, K visa, and non-immigrant visa applicants recommended for a medical exam will be required to obtain full COVID-19 vaccination. Some waivers may be available in countries where a COVID-19 vaccine is not routinely available or if the vaccine is not age appropriate. The Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines are available in Cote d’Ivoire. Unlike other required vaccinations, applicants must complete the entire COVID-19 vaccine series for the medical examination to be considered complete.
This requirement does not apply to non-immigrant visa classifications such as tourist or student visas.
For more information, please visit Diseases and Vaccines Included | Immigrant and Refugee Health | CDC
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Outside of Office Hours, contact: (+225) 27 22 49 4450
Outside of Côte d'Ivoire: (+225) 27 22 49 4000
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