Visas Services Paused at U.S. Embassies in South Sudan, DRC, Uganda
Effective May 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of State has temporarily stopped consular processing at the following locations due to an ongoing Ebola outbreak:
- Juba, South Sudan
- Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Kampala, Uganda
The pause covers every nonimmigrant and immigrant visa category that requires a visa appointment at an American embassy or consular post. Domestic applications handled by USCIS are not affected at this time.
Manifest immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar says for those affected abroad, a pause is not a denial. “Your eligibility for a family or work visa has not changed, and can still work on your petition while the pause remains in place,” she says. “If you’re already waiting for your respective embassy to schedule your interview or adjudicate your petition, my recommendation is to monitor their website for any updates.”
The State Department has not given a timeline for when appointments will resume. Its public announcement says it will contact affected applicants directly when scheduling reopens.
