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U.S. Virtual Embassy: No Visa Interviews Will Be Held for 90 Days

Jan 28, 2026 January 28, 2026 3 min read 📰 Radio Farda
📋 Key Takeaway

The U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran announced a 90-day suspension of visa interviews and entry for citizens from seven countries, including Iran, due to national security concerns. This ban affects both citizens and dual nationals, and it is part of an executive order aimed at preventing terrorist infiltration. The implications of this ban are significant for Iranian citizens seeking to travel to the U.S.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: The U.S. has temporarily banned entry and visa issuance for citizens from seven countries, including Iran, raising significant diplomatic and humanitarian concerns.

👥 Key Players

U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran MENTIONED
Communicator of U.S. policies to Iranians
"Acts as an intermediary for U.S. diplomatic communications with Iran, especially since the U.S. has no physical embassy in Iran."
U.S. President MENTIONED
Issuer of the executive order
"The President's executive orders directly impact U.S. immigration policy and international relations."
Department of Homeland Security MENTIONED
U.S. government department responsible for public security
"Plays a key role in implementing and providing guidelines for the executive order."

📰 What Happened

The U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran announced a 90-day suspension of visa interviews and entry for citizens from seven countries, including Iran, due to national security concerns. This is part of an executive order aimed at reviewing vetting processes to prevent terrorist infiltration.

  • The suspension affects citizens and dual nationals from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen.
  • The order includes a 90-day ban on visa issuance and entry to the U.S. for these individuals.

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: This affects many Iranian citizens and dual nationals who may have plans to travel to the U.S. for personal, educational, or business reasons.
🌍 Regional: It may increase tensions between the U.S. and the affected countries, particularly Iran, which already has strained relations with the U.S.
🌐 International: This executive order has sparked international debate over the balance between national security and human rights, affecting global perceptions of U.S. immigration policy.

📚 Background

The U.S. has had no formal diplomatic relations with Iran since 1980, and the Virtual Embassy serves as a key communication tool. This executive order is part of broader U.S. efforts to enhance national security through stricter immigration controls.

U.S.-Iran relations U.S. immigration policy
📡 Source: INTERNATIONAL
📊 Confidence: 70%
The information comes from an official U.S. government communication channel, which is generally reliable for factual announcements but may reflect U.S. policy perspectives.

The U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran has announced details regarding the temporary ban on the entry of citizens from seven countries, including Iranians, to the U.S. It stated that no visa interviews will take place during the specified 90-day period. The announcement emphasizes that, based on Section 212 of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act and an executive order from the U.S. President, the entry of citizens from seven countries is temporarily suspended. The seven countries affected by this temporary ban, as determined by the U.S. Congress or the Secretary of Homeland Security, include Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen. The U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran stresses that 'protecting national security is our top priority,' and that 'the suspension resulting from this executive order allows us to review current vetting processes.' The announcement specifies that the executive order aims to facilitate appropriate review and establish criteria to prevent terrorist or criminal infiltration by foreign nationals, imposing a 90-day ban on the entry of citizens from the designated countries, which also includes a 90-day visa issuance ban. According to the U.S. Virtual Embassy, 'as of January 27, 2017, citizens or dual nationals from any of these countries will not be allowed to enter the United States or be issued immigration or non-immigration visas for 90 days.' Furthermore, it states that citizens or dual nationals from these countries who hold valid immigration or non-immigration visas will also 'not be permitted to enter the U.S. during this timeframe.' It is noted that 'generally, visa interviews for citizens of these countries will not be held during this period.' Although the announcement explicitly mentions the temporary ban on 'dual nationals' from the seven countries, it also clarifies that 'there will be no changes to the visa waiver program implemented by the Department of Homeland Security at this time.' The announcement remains silent regarding U.S. permanent residents and advises Iranian citizens to refer to the Department of Homeland Security for further information. The announcement from the U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran has been published on its Telegram channel and social media pages. As of the time of this report, no statement or guideline regarding the implementation and scope of this law has been published on the website of the Department of Homeland Security, but an official from the department has told Reuters that the Department of Homeland Security currently has specific guidelines on this matter. Regarding green card holders or U.S. permanent residents, a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that they are included under the new executive order, although Reuters reported that decisions regarding them will be made 'on a case-by-case basis.'

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Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 85%

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