The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and all U.S. Consulates in Mexico have suspended all nonimmigrant visa appointments until May 6 due to the swine flu outbreak. The Embassy and Consulates will reschedule all nonimmigrant visa appointments which have been made between April 27 and May 5. The Embassy's scheduling center will call or email applicants to reschedule appointments. Alternatively, applicants may re-schedule visa appointments without being charged by calling 1-800-719-2525. If there is an emergency visa issue, applicants should email visas_mexico@state.gov. Additionally, U.S. consulates in Mexico will suspend some nonimmigrant visa operations until May 6, but may see a limited number of applicants.

The Embassy and Consulates have also suspended non-essential services to the public until May 6. Consular services for U.S. citizens will be limited to emergency assistance and to citizenship applications (passports and consular reports of birth abroad, or CRBA). Notarial and other routine services will not be available.  Anyone with passport or a CRBA appointment is encouraged, but not required, to reschedule to a later date. Additionally, Federal Benefits Units have requested all persons to postpone interviews on Social Security claims. The Embassy will monitor this situation continuously during the week and advise before May 6 if this suspension will be extended.  If visa operations need to be suspended beyond May 6, the Embassy will inform the public as soon as possible.

A separate notice about immigrant visa appointments at the U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez is also due to be issued shortly.

Finally, operations at the U.S. consular agencies throughout Mexico may be curtailed; several are closing to the public entirely for walk-in services, seeing the public by appointment only. If in doubt, the Embassy advises people to contact their nearest consular agency directly.