The US State Department announced on 15 July 2026 that it now requires nonimmigrant visa applicants to interview in their country of nationality or residence, and its designated-post list assigns Iran to the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai. The same residence rule was applied to immigrant visas the same day, with transfers between posts handled by the National Visa Center rather than the consulate.
The residence rule leaves no scope for Iranian applicants to choose Yerevan, Ankara or another third-country post. The complication is that the Dubai post itself states routine visa processing is not available in the UAE at this time, and has been on ordered departure for non-emergency staff since 2 March 2026. Applicants who file at the wrong post are told the MRV fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. Separate restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 10998 also remain in force for the 39 listed countries, including Iran.
