October 22, 2002 - Effective November 1, 2002, the US Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico will cease taking visa appointments for so-called "third country nationals" ("TCNs"). The US Consulate is attempting to address its backlog of some 250,000 "V" visa applications, and concluded that TCN processing must be halted in order to reduce backlogs. The "V" visa backlog was compounded by staffing declines at the US Consulate.

The Consulate at Ciudad Juarez will continue to accept visa applications from Mexican citizens resident within its jurisdiction. The Consulate will also accept applications from those TCNs who are actually legally resident in the Consulate's jurisdiction, as well as for TCNs who live in the El Paso metro area, and who work in Ciudad Juarez.