Security-related closures at a dozen U.S. embassies and consulates across the Middle East and South Asia are cancelling tens of thousands of immigrant and non-immigrant visa appointments each week, according to attorneys interviewed by Newsweek on March 11. Posts in Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE have halted routine processing after non-essential diplomats were ordered to depart amid escalating regional conflict. Based on normal monthly issuance volumes, immigration lawyer Gnanamookan Senthurjothi estimates 40 000–60 000 applicants are affected for every week the shutdown continues; a one-month pause could swell the queue by up to 200 000 cases. Business immigration specialist James Hollis points out that the impacted posts normally handle roughly 19 000 B-category visitor visas, 250 employment-based visas and more than 550 student visas per month. Those delays translate into lost sales trips, deferred project start-ups and enrollment gaps at U.S. universities that rely on Gulf-region students. Corporate mobility teams have limited work-arounds. A September 2025 State Department policy now requires most applicants to interview in their country of residence, curtailing the old practice of “visa shopping” in third countries with shorter waits. Although USCIS can grant temporary flexibility for individuals already in the United States, overseas hires and accompanying family members remain stuck until posts reopen. Companies with critical talent pipelines from the region are being advised to: 1) front-load petition preparation so that documents are immediately ready when calendars reopen; 2) shift short-term assignments to visa-waiver nationals where possible; and 3) explore remote-work arrangements outside the United States to hold key staff until visas are issued. Universities are urging affected students to request deferrals or begin courses online. The suspensions also hit public diplomacy: roughly 1 000 diplomatic and international-organization visas per month are on hold, complicating official travel just as Washington seeks regional support for a maritime security coalition. State Department officials told Newsweek that safety of personnel is paramount and that applicants should monitor individual embassy websites for updates. No timeline for resumption has been announced.
Source: Newsweek
