Plan ahead. Apply Now!
Due to resource constraints the U.S. Consulate will be unable to conduct interviews for immigrant and non-immigrant visas in July and August. The interview waiver program will remain operational but may experience delays.
“We are anticipating a huge number of U.S. visitors coming to New Zealand for the FIFA World Cup. Whenever there is a large volume of international visitors, the unfortunate and inevitable reality is that a portion of those travellers end up needing consular assistance. While our consular officers are attending to those urgent requests we won’t be able to conduct interviews and it will slow down visa processing,” says Consul General Sarah Nelson.
“The good news is that most Kiwi citizens do not need a visa to travel to the US—most can travel on the Visa Waiver Program. They just need an ESTA. And lots of other New Zealand based applicants can apply for a visa without needing an interview. So I urge all travellers to check the requirements really, really carefully. If you do require a visa, please don’t get caught out—apply early,” she adds.
“The current wait time for an interview is five to six weeks and we anticipate that will spike sharply as we approach the World Cup. Please, please carefully check if you need a visa and, if you do, we urge you to apply now.”