US embassy in Khartoum resumes processing of immigrant visa

July 8, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The United States embassy in Khartoum has on Wednesday announced resumption of immigrant visa processing in Sudan for the first time in nearly 20 years.

“Starting in July 2015, applicants for all categories of Immigrant Visas, including Immediate Relatives (IR) Non-Preference Family, Fiance’s (K visas) and Diversity Visa Lottery winners will be able to interview and process their visas in Khartoum, Sudan”, said the US embassy in a statement released on Wednesday.

It should be mentioned that residents of Sudan have been required to travel to the US embassy in Cairo to process their immigrant visas, which entailed a great deal of time, expense, and effort.

The US has included Sudan since 1993 on the list of states that sponsor terrorism and later imposed economic sanctions which Khartoum argues that it has affected vital sectors such as aviation and rail transport and incurring losses exceeding $40 billion.

Washington calls for the resolution conflicts in the Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur as a prerequisite for normalizing ties.

The move is announced weeks before the arrival of the UN special envoy Donald Booth who will conduct talks on ways to normalize relations.

(ST)