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Ex. SEC-20-012 Order Primary source read

Suspension of Routine Visa Services (announcement of Mar. 18, effective Mar. 20, 2020)

Suspension of Routine Visa Services

Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs · United States (all embassies and consulates) (Federal)

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The COVID Project

The record

Jurisdiction
United States (all embassies and consulates)
Level
Federal
Authority
INA secs. 221-222 (8 U.S.C. 1201-1202); 22 CFR 41
Issued
2020-03-20 Mar. 20, 2020
Effective
2020-03-20
End
phased resumption post by post from July 14, 2020; routine services curtailed through 2021 (read as 2020-07-14)
In force
Mar. 20, 2020 to July 14, 2020
Quarters
2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
Limitation types
Travel and quarantineCourts and public offices
Addressees
  • all visa applicants worldwide
Functions reached
  • LB the H-2A and H-2B pipeline (Monterrey, Mexico processes most H-2A visas)
  • HR
  • FP planting and harvest crews
Collection
Agriculture and Food Processing SEC-20

Operative words

the Department of State is temporarily suspending routine visa services at all U.S. Embassies and Consulates. Embassies and consulates will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 20, 2020. As resources allow, embassies and consulates will continue to provide emergency and mission critical visa services.

Enforcement

Administrative (no appointments; no adjudication)

Notes

The government act that stopped the seasonal workforce at the consulate door; partly relieved for H-2 by Ex. SEC-20-013.

A record of The COVID Project. The instrument's text is the source's; the summary fields are The COVID Project's reading of it. Not legal advice.