The American Embassy will observe the following American and Local holidays during 2011.

Those wishing to view the official homepage of the US Embassy in Seoul, Korea please click HERE.

Those seeking services which can only be provided at an American Citizen Services Section of a US Embassy or US Consulate abroad, such as: issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, issuance of a US Passport, or issuance of additional pages for a US Passport are well advised to schedule an appointment online with the Post in advance, if possible, in order to streamline the processing of one’s request.

Those seeking non-immigrant visa benefits such as the US business visa (B-1 visa category), US tourist visa (B-2 visa category), US student visa (F-1 visa category), or US exchange visitor visa (J-1 visa category) are likely to see their visa application processed at a Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Unit abroad. Those seeking non-immigrant visa benefits are well advised to bear in mind the fact that non-immigrant visa applications are scrutinized pursuant to section 214(b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act.

Those American Citizens seeking American family visa benefits are likely to only see a visa application for a CR-1 visa or an IR-1 visa processed after receiving approval of an underlying Immigration petition from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). It should be noted that for processing purposes the K-1 visa application, although used by seekers of a non-immigrant US fiance visa, is treated in much the same way as immigrant visa applications.

Those seeking US business visa benefits for travel documents such as an E-2 visa, L-1 visa, or EB-5 visa may be required to process, and receive approval of, an immigration petition at the USCIS.  For E-2 visa seekers this may not be the case, but the unique facts in a given case must be examined prior to making a conclusion regarding the appropriate avenue for processing.

Those interested in related information please see: US Visa Korea.

As this author has previously come to find, it can be frustrating to show up at a US Embassy or US Consulate to find it closed in observance of either a local or American holiday. Therefore, those with business before a United States Embassy or Consulate abroad are well advised to consult the official website of the Mission prior to traveling to the Post. Furthermore, those with business before an American Citizen Services Section of a United States Embassy or Consulate are well advised to check online to ascertain if the Post allows appointment to be set over the internet. Those seeking a new US passport, visa pages, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or notarial services are often required to appear before American Citizen Services abroad in order to have their request processed. In many cases, scheduling an appointment in advance provides the Consular Officers with the opportunity to prepare in advance to efficiently serve Citizens. By streamlining the process it can decrease the wait time for Americans traveling to the Post.

Those wishing to schedule a visa interview appointment for an Immigrant visa such as a CR1 Visa or an IR1 visa are advised to check directly with the Post regarding such appointments. The same can be said for those wishing to schedule a non-immigrant visa appointment for travel documents such as the US Tourist Visa or the US Student Visa (For purposes of Consular adjudication the K1 visa is usually considered an immigrant visa).