Trump administration temporarily halts immigrant visa processing worldwide
Scheduled interviews will be postponed as consular officers undergo additional training, but tourist, student and business visas are not automatically affected
The Trump administration has temporarily suspended the processing of immigrant visa applications worldwide while consular officers receive additional training on reviewing cases.
Immigrant visa interviews already scheduled at US embassies and consulates will have to be postponed. The State Department has not said how long the suspension will remain in effect or when processing will resume.
The training is expected to focus partly on stricter enforcement of the “public charge” rule, which allows officials to assess whether applicants have sufficient financial resources to live in the United States without relying on government assistance.
The suspension does not automatically cover nonimmigrant visas issued for temporary stays, including tourist, student and business visas. Claims that Washington has halted “all visa applications” are therefore misleading.
The decision follows a federal judge’s ruling overturning a policy that had suspended immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries considered likely to become dependent on public assistance. The judge ruled that the policy was unlawful and discriminatory.