DR ‹ › The U.S. Department of State has announced that it is deploying additional consular staff to the U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca to process an increased volume of visa applications. In a statement shared on Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Morocco said it will be «opening thousands of visa interview appointments in January and February 2026». «Planning to travel to the United States in 2026?» the U.S. Embassy in Morocco asked applicants, urging them to visit https://ma.usembassy.gov/visas/ and apply now. The surge in visa applications comes as the United States is set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada this summer. Morocco has qualified for the tournament and is expected to play its group-stage matches in the U.S., with its opening game scheduled for June 13 against Brazil at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Morocco's two other group matches will take place on June 19, against Scotland at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts (Boston area), and on June 24, against Haiti at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. To prepare for the expected surge in visa applications from Moroccan fans ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the U.S. decided, earlier in December, to significantly reduce visa appointment wait times in Morocco, from 10 months to just two months. This measure complements the recently introduced priority visa interview slots for 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket holders (FIFA Pass), an initiative announced by President Donald Trump. In general, the U.S. Department of State has also hired more than 450 additional staff members to accelerate visa processing, particularly for citizens of countries qualified for the 2026 World Cup.. The United States is preparing to welcome between 5 and 7 million international visitors during the tournament.
