Embassy of the United States Ankara, Turkey

January 20, 2012

Construction Project – January 25 – March 19, 2012

In an effort to improve our consular facilities for our clients, the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy, Ankara will be undergoing renovations from January 25, 2012 to March 19, 2012.  During this period, the Section’s facilities will go through periods of partial and full closure. 

The Consular Section will be closed for all but emergency American Citizens Services on January 26 and 27.  If you are a U.S. citizen with an emergency during this period, please call +90-312-455-5555 for assistance.  For more details, please see: http://turkey.usembassy.gov/emergency.html.

The respective units of the Consular Section (American Citizens Services, Immigrant Visas, and Nonimmigrant Visas) are making the following arrangements for our clients for the duration of this project:

American Citizens Services (ACS)

• Emergency Services: The ACS Unit will continue to offer emergency services throughout the entire renovation period.

• Passport and Other Non-Emergency Services: The ACS Unit will offer limited routine services for this period, with a significant reduction in the number of ACS appointments available from March 5 through March 19.  At some points during the project, the ACS Unit will be operating from an alternative location adjacent to the Embassy.  When this is the case, signs will be posted.  Specific information about the alternative location and the dates it will be used will be announced as soon as possible.

• Correspondence:  The ACS Unit will continue to reply to correspondence during the renovation.  Please continue to submit your inquiries through http://turkey.usembassy.gov/acs-form5.html.

Immigrant Visas (IV)

• Regular Services:  The IV Unit has scheduled an increased number of regular appointments from January 20 through February 23.  Beginning February 24, no regular interviews will be available until we reopen for full services on March 20, 2012. 

• Emergency Services:  Time-sensitive IV Unit services including transportation letters and returning resident applications will be handled on a case-by-case basis from February 23 through March 19.  In order for us to examine your transportation letter, returning resident or other IV service request, please send an e-mail request with an explanation of your circumstances through: http://turkey.usembassy.gov/iv-form2.html.

• Applicants returning to submit missing documents after their administrative processing is complete:  The IV Unit will accept missing documents and completed administrative processing cases for visa issuance until February 23.  Please be advised, our business commitment for processing of these cases during the renovation period will be 5-7 business days.  From February 24 through March 19, the IV Unit will be unable to accept such cases.  Documents mailed to the Embassy by petitioners and/or applicants will be stored in our mail facilities until the Section reopens for full processing on March 20.  Please be advised: this means that if you mail your passport to the IV Unit between February 24 and March 20, we will not have access to it.

• Correspondence:  The IV Unit will continue to reply to correspondence during the renovation.  Please continue to submit your inquiries through: http://turkey.usembassy.gov/iv-form2.html.

• Public Phone Hours:  Until 02-March-2012, phones will be staffed during the normally scheduled times from Monday – Thursday 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM.  Callers should be aware, however, that there may be an increase in wait time for our staff to answer calls and we may not be able to give complete answers due to a lack of access to our files.

Nonimmigrant Visas (NIV)

• Turkish and other non-Iranian applicants:

• Services:  The NIV Unit will conduct regular NIV appointments for Turkish and other non-Iranian applicants through March 2, 2012.  Thereafter, the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey will be the only post in Turkey offering NIV appointments for Turkish and other non-Iranian applicants until March 20.  Please continue to use the Visa Information Service (VIS) to arrange your appointment through +90 212-340-4444. 
• Applicants returning to submit missing documents for issuance and/or after their administrative processing is complete:  The NIV Unit will process missing documents and/or passports mailed in at the completion of administrative processing through Thursday, March 1.  Thereafter, all items mailed to the NIV Unit will be stored in our mail facilities until March 20.  Please be advised: this means that if you mail your passport to the NIV Unit between March 2 and March 20, we will not have access to it.
• Correspondence:  The NIV Unit will not be able to respond to routine public inquiries submitted between March 2 and March 20.  If you have a general NIV question, please call the Visa Information Service (VIS) at +90 212-340-4444, or send your inquiry to the NIV Unit at U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey through: http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov/questniv.html.
• Emergency Appointment Requests:  Please direct all requests for emergency NIV appointments to the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey.  For instructions see: http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov/niv_info.html.
• Public Telephone Hours: Phones will be staffed during regularly scheduled hours Monday - Thursday, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.  However callers should be aware that there may be an increase in wait time for our staff to answer calls and we may not be able to give complete answers due to a lack of access to our files.

• Iranian Applicants:

• Services:  The NIV Unit will not be able to start conducting Iranian NIV appointments again until the last week of March.   Per our system for Iranian NIV appointments, interviews for the month of March will become available on Monday, February 6 through the Visa Information Service (VIS) phone number: +1-703-439-2317.  General inquiries about Nonimmigrant Visas should be directed to the VIS phone number: +90 212 340 4444.  For more information about alternative posts for NIV interviews, please refer to the Virtual Embassy of the United States, Tehran, Iran website at: http://iran.usembassy.gov/visas/niv-iranians.html .
• Applicants returning to submit missing documents for issuance or to submit passports after they have received notification their administrative processing is complete:  The NIV Unit will accept missing documents and/or passports for completed administrative processing any afternoon, Monday through Friday between 2:00PM and 2:30PM, from February 2 to March 1, 2012.  From March 2 to March 20, the NIV Unit will be closed for submission of missing document and/or passports.  The NIV Unit will resume its regular hours for these services every Thursday 2:00-2:30PM thereafter, beginning with March 29.
• Correspondence:  The NIV Unit will not be able to respond to routine public inquiries submitted between March 2 and March 19.  If you have a general NIV question, please call the Visa Information Service (VIS) at +90 212-340-4444, or send your inquiry to the NIV Unit at U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey at: http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov/questniv.html.
• Emergency Appointments:  The NIV Unit will accept emergency appointment requests from Iranian applicants with a delay in response time.  Responses may take 5-7 business days.   Please be advised that our standard policy regarding these appointments will remain in effect throughout the construction’s duration – the NIV Unit may only grant emergency appointments to non-ESL (English as a Second Language) students/exchange visitors or for those travelling under emergency medical circumstances.  Emergency appointment applicants may send an e-mail message with a scanned copy of their I-20/DS-2019 forms, or relevant medical documentation to CA-Ankara@state.gov.  Please write “NIV-Iran-Emergency” into the subject line of your e-mail message.  Please do not send repetitive e-mails.  If you have falsely obtained an emergency appointment for travel purposes other than those described in our policy, your application will not be accepted when you appear for your interview.  For more information about alternative posts for emergency NIV interviews, please refer to the Virtual Embassy of the United States, Tehran, Iran website at: http://iran.usembassy.gov/visas/niv-iranians.html