This applies to minimum wait times to schedule non-immigrant visa interviews
On June 21, 2017 President Trump signed an Executive Order rescinding a provision of Executive Order 13597, which directed the Department to ensure that 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants were interviewed within three weeks of submitting an application, except where dictated otherwise by resource and security considerations.
Rescinding this provision allows the Department to support the essential functions of the Bureau of Consular Affairs by providing additional flexibility to determine when longer processing times may be appropriate to accomplish our fundamental mission to protect our borders.
Every prospective traveler to the United States undergoes extensive security screening, and we are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes and to support legitimate travel and immigration to the United States while protecting U.S. citizens.
We do not anticipate this decision having a significant impact on our visa wait times in the Dominican Republic. Here in the Dominican Republic, our Consular Section processed more nonimmigrant visas last year than ever before, and we will continue our efforts to meet increased demand.
