I was lucky enough to enter the US on my K1 VISA 2 days ago from Australia, before all international flights out of Australia were cancelled and San Francisco airport went on lock down. Before I left I emailed the consulate in Sydney Australia, just in case I wasn't allowed to board my flight. I hope the below info is helpful to some:
Thank you for your email.
There are currently no special accommodations for applicants whose visas have expired or are about to expire due to being unable or not wanting to travel during COVID-19. If you are unable to immigrate to the United States during the validity period of your immigrant visa, we may be able to issue you a replacement visa (to extend the validity).
We will review your eligibility to receive a replacement visa on a case-by-case basis, but we are not able to review your case until your current visa has expired.
Please note that one of the requirements for a replacement visa is that the basis for your immigration to the United States still exists (e.g. familial relationship, U.S. job offer, etc.) If you are deemed to be eligible for a replacement visa, this would require submission of a new visa application fee, a new medical and/or Australian Federal Police certificate. Furthermore, you may be required to update Form DS-260 along with attending another interview for the replacement visa at the U.S. Consulate General, Sydney.
If a petition was filed on your behalf as:
Then:
Spouse, Parent or Unmarried child (under age 21) of a U.S. citizen
Number is not limited.
K1 Fiancé visa
Number not limited but Petition valid for 12 months only.
*Diversity Visa Applicant: Under no circumstances can a visa be issued after September 30, 2020
Number is limited each year.
Adult sons, daughters, brothers or sisters of a U.S. citizen
Spouses and children of U.S. lawful permanent residents
Employment based, except for certain special immigrants
If you fall under a category where visa number(s) are limited each year, then an immigrant visa number was only available for your use within the month your visa was issued. There is no guarantee that visa numbers will be immediately available for your visa replacement. You may also want to review the Visa Bulletin for further information on visa number availability.
Note: Due to the limited number of visas that may be issued under the *Diversity Visa program, numbers may cease to be available even before this date.
In light of the above guidance, if you wish to apply for a replacement immigrant visa, please email us after your immigrant visa has expired. The subject line of your email should be "REPLACEMENT IMMIGRANT VISA: [Surname, Given Name]." In your email, please describe the circumstances which led to your decision to not use your visa during its validity period, as well as the purpose and desired timeline for your future immigration to the United States. We will review and respond to these requests on a case-by-case basis.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Immigrant Visa Unit (cc)
U.S. Consulate General, Sydney
as long as US does not close its border for all international flights you should be good. better hurry we are in a very fluid situation and things can get shut down very fast
