The United States Embassy in Sri Lanka will be closed on Monday, 12 October, for Columbus Day, a federal holiday in the United States, Hiru News reported.
The Embassy said all routine public services and general office operations will be suspended for the duration of the holiday. Regular operations and diplomatic services resume on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
Columbus Day is observed in the United States on the second Monday of October, which falls on 12 October this year. US diplomatic missions abroad typically close for American federal holidays in addition to the public holidays of the host country.
The notice affects visa and consular appointments, which are among the Embassy’s most heavily used public services in Colombo. Applicants with appointments scheduled for Monday should check the Embassy’s own channels for rescheduling arrangements.
Not reported
The filing does not say whether consular appointments already booked for 12 October will be automatically rescheduled or must be rebooked by applicants, and it does not address emergency services for US citizens, which missions normally maintain on holidays. It gives no separate guidance for the American Center or any other Embassy facility.
Source: Hiru News.
