U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it will open a new international field office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, beginning operations on September 9, 2026. The office will handle USCIS immigration matters in Ethiopia, according to an agency news release.
The new office will give USCIS a dedicated presence to verify the authenticity of foreign documents, investigate suspected fraud, and collect DNA to confirm family relationships. Historically, these functions were supported through coordination with the Department of State, the agency said.
USCIS described the move as part of a broader effort to align its overseas operations with agency priorities and strengthen its overseas operational capacity. The agency said the office will provide a dedicated presence to perform these critical workloads directly.
Services at the Addis Ababa office will be available only by appointment. USCIS said it will update its International Immigration Offices webpage to include information about the field office, its services, and appointments.
The agency's announcement did not specify the number of staff to be assigned or the expected volume of cases. No further details on the office's scope or the timeline for additional international offices were provided in the source account.