US Embassy Sri Lanka & Maldives: Holiday Closing Schedule for 2011

admin — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:38:44 +0000

Those who may have had the opportunity to read this blog in the past may have noticed that the administration routinely posts the holiday closing schedules of some of the various US Missions in Asia. This is done in an effort to forestall needless trips to a US Embassy or US consulate abroad only to find them closed in observance of either an American or foreign holiday. The following is quoted directly from the official website of the United States Embassy in Sri Lanka (with jurisdiction over the Maldives):

The American Embassy will observe the following American and local holidays in 2011.

Date	Event	Type
January 14 (Friday)	In Lieu of Tamil Thai Pongal Day	Local
January 17 (Monday)	Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.	American
February 04 (Friday)	National Day	Local
February 16 (Wednesday)	Holy Prophet’s Birthday	Local
February 21 (Monday)	Washington’s Birthday	American
April 13 (Wednesday)	Day Prior to Sinhala & Tamil New Year Day	Local
April 14 (Thursday)	Sinhala & Tamil New Year Day	Local
May 2 (Monday)	In Lieu of May Day	Local
May 17 (Tuesday)	Wesak Full Moon Poya Day	Local
May 30 (Monday)	Memorial Day	American
June 15 (Wednesday)	Poson Full Moon Poya Day	American
July 4 (Monday)	Independence Day	American
July 14 (Thursday)	Esala Full Moon Poya Day	Local
September 05 (Monday)	Labor Day	American
October 10 (Monday)	Columbus Day	American
October 11 (Tuesday)	Vap Full Moon Poya Day	Local
November 11 (Friday)	Veteran’s Day	American
November 24 (Thursday)	Thanksgiving Day	American
December 20 (Monday)	Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day	Local
December 26 (Monday)	In Lieu of Christmas Day	American

Those seeking services which can only be provided by an American Citizen Services Section of a US Post abroad (such as: US Passport issuance, Consular Report of Birth Abroad issuance, etc) are well advised to attempt, if possible, to make an appointment online with the Post prior to arrival as doing so can greatly streamline the processing of requests.

To visit the official homepage of the United States Embassy in Sri Lanka please click HERE.

Those seeking visas such as the US B-2 Tourist Visa or the US F-1 Student Visa are likely to process their application through a Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Unit at a US Embassy or US Consulate abroad. Those seeking non-immigrant visa benefits are likely to have their application scrutinized pursuant to section 214(b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act.

Those seeking travel documents such as a CR-1 visa or an IR-1 visa for a foreign family member who wishes to travel to the USA to take up Lawful Permanent Residence are likely to process their application through an Immigrant Visa (IV) Unit abroad. For processing purposes the K-1 visa, a non-immigrant US fiance visa category, is treated in much the same way as the immigrant visa categories.

Those seeking travel documents such as the EB-5 Visa or the L-1 visa which pertain to business or investment are likely to only see their visa application processed after the adjudication of an immigration petition in the USA.

For related information please see: US Visa Sri Lanka.

Integrity Legal Blog » American Embassy Maldives

US Embassy Sri Lanka & Maldives: Holiday Closing Schedule for 2011