The United States has temporarily paused immigrant visa appointments at its embassies and consulates worldwide as the Donald Trump administration intensifies efforts to prevent prospective immigrants considered likely to depend on government benefits from entering the country.
The pause, which began earlier this month, is linked to an extensive training programme for consular officers on assessing applicants under the U.S. “public charge” rules. Applicants who already had interview appointments have reportedly been notified that their appointments have been cancelled or postponed, with new dates yet to be announced.
The development follows the State Department’s introduction of a pilot programme allowing consular officers to require certain immigrant visa applicants to obtain a public charge bond where concerns exist that they may become financially dependent on the U.S. government. The department says applicants can overcome a public charge concern by providing sufficient evidence that they are unlikely to become a public charge.
The latest move comes shortly after a federal judge struck down an earlier administration policy that sought to suspend immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries on similar public-benefit grounds. The court ruled that the policy exceeded the Secretary of State’s legal authority.
The administration has also introduced wider immigration measures, including expanded social-media screening, visa restrictions and plans to revoke certain B1/B2 visas held by foreigners who entered the U.S. as visitors before seeking asylum. The proposed visa revocations could affect as many as 200,000 people.
The State Department has not announced a definite date for the resumption of the affected immigrant visa appointments, leaving applicants who have already spent significant sums on documentation, travel and other preparations facing uncertainty. The department’s official visa guidance continues to list immigrant visa processing changes and public-charge measures as part of its ongoing review of U.S. visa operations.
