The U.S. Department of State has announced a major reorganization of immigration visa processing, particularly for Haitian nationals. As of August 28, 2025, applications for legal permanent residence filed by Haitians will no longer be processed in Port-au-Prince, but at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, Bahamas, according to an official notice published by the Consular Affairs Section on its website.

"The U.S. Embassy in Nassau has been designated to conduct immigrant visa services for residents of Haiti. Visit U.S. Visa News https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/adjudicating-applicants-in-their-country-of-residence-aug-28-2025.html for additional information. Immigrant visa applicants should review the U.S. Embassy in Nassau page https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Supplements/Supplements_by_Post/NSS-Nassau.html for additional instructions. Applicants with appointments currently scheduled should reach out to the National Visa Center using the Public Inquiry Form https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/ask-nvc.html to request or confirm an appointment."

This decision comes amid a worsening security crisis in Haiti and restrictions on operations at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. For several months, the U.S. diplomatic mission has been under a departure order, meaning that a large portion of U.S. diplomatic personnel have been required to leave the country. Only a small team, dedicated to handling emergencies, continues to provide limited services.

This significant reduction in staffing has had a direct impact on the embassy's ability to provide routine consular services, including visa processing. In response, Washington decided to restructure by transferring some of its Haitian cases to a consular post deemed more secure and more functional.

US Embassy Nassau website : https://bs.usembassy.gov/

HL/ HaitiLibre