Due to increased travel to France for the eightieth anniversary of D-Day and the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, the U.S. Department of State expects significant delays in visa processing in France in 2024. Individuals seeking to obtain a U.S. visa in Europe this year may want to begin the visa application process as soon as possible.
Quick Hits
- With the upcoming Summer Olympics and D-Day celebrations, individuals planning to obtain a visa in Paris should anticipate scheduling delays and plan ahead.
- Increased demand for consular services, combined with agency closures and strained resources, are anticipated to contribute to longer wait times for visa appointments in neighboring countries and across Europe.
The U.S. embassy and consulates in France will be extremely limited in offering any type of routine services in the coming months due to increased travel to France for the eightieth anniversary of D-Day and the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. From June 1 through June 10, 2024, there will be more than one hundred events across Normandy to commemorate the Allied D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. The 2024 Summer Olympics are scheduled from July 26, 2024, through August 11, 2024, and the Paralympics are scheduled from August 28, 2024, through September 8, 2024. The uptick in U.S. citizens traveling to France during this time will create an additional strain on consular resources, as the consular staff must also address the needs of U.S. citizen visitors. Individuals intending to apply for a U.S. visa in France during this time might consider delaying travel or scheduling an appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate in another country.
With longer wait times across Europe this summer, individuals seeking to obtain a visa anywhere in Europe in the coming months may want to begin the visa application process as soon as possible. When scheduling an appointment at the U.S. consulate or embassy, applicants should book the first available appointment and monitor the website for an earlier appointment, as new appointments are posted regularly. Up-to-date information on wait times at U.S. consulates and embassies can be found on the State Department website.
Key Takeaways
Individuals who are planning to schedule a visa appointment at a U.S. consulate or embassy in Europe this summer may want to plan ahead to avoid delays due to the 2024 Summer Olympics and commemorative events related to the eightieth anniversary of D-Day.
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