The United States Embassy in Freetown has issued an important public notice regarding the ongoing scheduling of Diversity Visa (DV) interviews for the 2025 lottery program.
According to the Embassy, the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) has officially begun arranging interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Sierra Leone’s capital, with all appointments to be completed before the program’s deadline on September 30, 2025.
However, the Embassy has clarified that Sierra Leonean nationals remain ineligible to receive Diversity Visas at this time, citing continued visa restrictions imposed by the U.S. government. While interviews are proceeding for eligible applicants of other nationalities, Sierra Leoneans are advised not to expect visa issuance under the current restrictions.
The Embassy further highlighted the importance of medical examinations in the visa process. It noted that final visa approval depends in part on the receipt of medical exam results, which may take up to eight weeks to process. As such, applicants who are eligible and have interviews scheduled in Freetown are strongly encouraged to complete their medicals as soon as possible to avoid missing the end-of-fiscal-year deadline.
Key Points from the Embassy Notice:
- Interview scheduling for DV-2025 is ongoing at the U.S. Embassy in Freetown, with a final deadline of September 30, 2025.
- Sierra Leonean nationals remain ineligible for Diversity Visas due to existing U.S. visa restrictions.
- Medical examination processing can take up to eight weeks, and delays may impact visa issuance.
Advice for Applicants:
- Sierra Leoneans: Be aware that Diversity Visas are currently not being issued to Sierra Leonean nationals.
- Non-Sierra Leoneans interviewing in Freetown: Schedule medical exams immediately to ensure timely processing ahead of the September deadline.
For further updates, applicants are advised to monitor official communications from the U.S. Embassy in Freetown or visit the Embassy’s website.