The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka has experienced significant disruptions to its visa processing services, affecting thousands of applicants, including a substantial number of students, due to recent internet shutdowns in the country. The closures, which have now extended into multiple days, have led to the cancellation of more than 4,000 visa appointments, including approximately 1,400 student visa interviews.
The Embassy has acknowledged the difficulties faced by the affected applicants and is taking steps to mitigate the situation. For students who urgently need to travel to the United States for their studies, the Embassy advises requesting an expedited appointment. However, they caution that even with expedited processing, some students might still miss their intended travel dates. The Embassy is encouraging those students to communicate directly with their schools to explain the delays.
In an effort to assist students whose appointments were canceled between July 19 and July 28, the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata has offered limited appointment availability. Students choosing this option should be aware that they will need to pay a new MRV (Machine Readable Visa) fee and must pick up their visas in Kolkata. The processing time for these visas is typically 3-5 business days, although this can vary depending on the individual case.
The Embassy has also responded to concerns from applicants whose MRV fees have expired due to the ongoing disruptions. The Embassy has indicated that they will attempt to reschedule these applicants to a future date once the situation stabilizes. Alternatively, applicants can choose to pay an additional MRV fee to select a new appointment date themselves or apply through the Kolkata consulate.
This situation has caused significant uncertainty and stress for many applicants, particularly students who are concerned about missing the start of their academic programs in the United States. The Embassy has urged patience as they work to resolve these issues but acknowledges the frustrations many are experiencing during this unprecedented disruption.
The Embassy continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates as more information becomes available. They recommend that all affected individuals keep an eye on official communications for the latest developments.
