December 24, 2025 | Dubai, UAE: The US embassy in the UAE is literally going on a major Christmas holiday – not only the embassy in Abu Dhabi, but for the Christmas in UAE the consulate in Dubai is closing down for five days during the middle of the vacation season.
It translates to everything routine being stowed away, and it creates a lot of enquiries on when you can secure visa appointments or other consular services during the holidays.
Extended Christmas in UAE Closure Schedule
The embassy and the consulate similarly announced that they will close down between Wednesday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, to celebrate Christmas.
On Tuesday, they shared the news on the social media of the US Mission to the UAE, and they affirmed that they will not get things back on track until Monday, Dec. 29, following the regular weekend off on Saturday and Sunday.
This Christmas in UAE closure represents a five‑day shutdown that combines the official holiday with the UAE’s standard weekend. It was published on the social media of the embassy on Thursday, Dec. 25, to indicate that they were closed on Christmas. Then the entire shutdown will encompass the weekend and the next.
The Christmas observance in UAE by US diplomatic facilities follows standard practice for American embassies and consulates worldwide, which close for major US federal holidays. Nevertheless, it has a longer closure period compared to what the applicants may undergo in nations that have different weekend times due to the timing of the UAE weekend.
Effects on Previously Scheduled Visa Visits
Visa applicants with scheduled interviews during the Christmas in UAE closure period face automatic cancellations or postponements of their appointments. The interview appointment for all the non-immigrant and immigrant visa interviews within the Dec. 24-26 window will not take place, and the applicants will need to re-book the interview appointment through the official visa appointment system.
The Christmas in UAE closure affects the standard visa appointment schedule, which typically sees the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and US Consulate General in Dubai releasing appointments for non-immigrant visa interviews every Friday morning between 7:30 am and 11:30 am, except during US and UAE holidays. The diplomatic missions can also publish more interview appointments other than this regular schedule when they find it necessary.
Visa applicants who have existing appointments scheduled during the Christmas in UAE can log into their accounts on the official US visa appointment website to reschedule for an earlier or later date, if slots are available. The Visa appointments system in ais.usvisa-info.com makes it possible to see the available dates and change the scheduled interviews at any time, provided that the slots are available.
The Christmas in UAE closure comes at a time when many UAE residents are planning travel to the United States for year‑end holidays, family visits, or business purposes. The time might cause some delays to the applicants who might want to obtain visas ahead of the year-end travel arrangements, especially since there are few appointment slots available throughout the year.
Consular Services Affected by Christmas in UAE Shutdown
Beyond visa interviews, the Christmas in UAE closure impacts all routine consular services provided by the US diplomatic missions. The American citizens who require passport services, notarial services, or consular reports of birth abroad will have both facilities closed during this period and wait until the operations resume on Dec. 29.
Emergency services for US citizens in distress remain available throughout the Christmas in UAE closure period. The US Embassy has a 24-hour emergency contact number +971-2-414-2200 that emergency calls made by American citizens can be placed, and the emergency could be true and could be an arrest, critical illness or the death of a US citizen in the UAE.
Document drop‑off services at authorised locations will also be suspended during the Christmas period in the UAE.
Planning Around the Christmas in UAE Closure and Resumption of Services
Visa applicants should plan carefully around Christmas in UAE to avoid disruptions to their travel plans. People who have immediate travelling intentions are expected to make appointments early before the holiday season or expedited appointment requests in case they are eligible for an emergency procedure. The Christmas in UAE timing may be particularly challenging for applicants who need to complete their visa process before year‑end deadlines.
The Christmas in UAE closure ends officially on Monday, Dec. 29, when both the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the US Consulate General in Dubai resume normal operations. For the most current information regarding the Christmas in UAE closure and its impact on visa services, applicants should visit the official US Embassy website at ae.usembassy.gov/visas.
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