COVID-19 Operations Update
On April 8, 2021, the Secretary of State determined that travel on an immigrant or fiancé(e) visa is in the national interest for purposes of granting exceptions under the geographic COVID proclamations.
Pursuant to that determination, the U.S. Consulate General—Frankfurt is resuming limited immigrant (IV) (including Diversity Lottery 2021 and K (fiancée/fiancé)) visa processing in May 2021, subject to COVID-19 restrictions. Please see the following link for more information about our prioritization guidelines for the resumption of IV and K visa processing:
We are processing cases on a first-in, first-out basis according to the prioritization guidance on the phased resumption of visa services. Please understand that we will not be able to resume visa processing at pre-pandemic levels because of limited capacity and the number of people we can safely maintain socially distant in the consulate.
Travelers who have a valid immigrant or K-1 visa may now travel directly to the United States, and no longer need a National Interest Exception (NIE) to apply for entry. All immigrant and fiancé(e) visa holders are still subject to DHS admissibility determinations and to the Centers for Disease Control’s order for mandatory COVID-19 testing prior to entry into the United States.
Frequently asked COVID-19 Questions for Visas.
Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Germany at the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt.
To apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen seeking to immigrate generally must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident immediate relative(s), or prospective U.S. employer, and have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa.
