US embassy services unavailable for two weeks in the UAE

Visa appointments and fee payment system on hold from May 15 to 29

US embassy services are expected to return on May 30. Wam

The US embassy and consulate in the UAE will not offer new visa appointments and fee payment services for two weeks in May.

The planned downtime is to allow the transition to a new visa service provider, the US Mission to the UAE announced on Wednesday.

Residents wanting an emergency appointment between May 15 and May 29 are advised to visit the US Department of State's visa appointments website for more information.

Closer ties

The news comes as US President Donald Trump prepares to visit the Emirates next week. He will travel to the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia on his first formal overseas visit since taking office in January. The trip will take place from May 13-16.

Mr Trump is expected to present a friendly face to the important regional allies, in contrast to his tough rhetoric towards the EU, Ukraine and other countries. The trip will “obviously be dollar deal-focused”, a State Department official told The National this month. “We have Saudi, UAE and potentially Qatar announcements as well.”

In September, ties between Washington and the Emirates were strengthened when the Ministry of Interior signed an agreement with the US Department of Homeland Security that will allow the UAE inclusion in the Global Entry Programme.

The programme, which screens the security background of applicants before travel, will allow Global Entry participants to immediately check in at a Global Entry kiosk at a US customs facility or when they arrive at another US port of entry.

It will therefore allow UAE citizens to avoid long queues and forms on arrival as the process will be automated. All participants in the programme must still have a valid US visa to enter the country.