The Trump administration has temporarily paused immigrant visa appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide as the State Department trains consular officers on new guidance for evaluating whether applicants could become dependent on U.S. public benefits.
The State Department said the global training program is designed to make sure consular officers can evaluate immigrant visa applicants more closely and consistently under the existing “public charge” rules. The training began earlier this month and has led to adjustments and postponements of immigrant visa appointments around the world.
Applicants who already had interviews scheduled may receive notices that their appointments have been postponed or rescheduled. The State Department has not announced when regular immigrant visa appointments will fully resume.
The change primarily affects people seeking immigrant visas to permanently move to the United States, including many family-sponsored and employment-based applicants. Tourist, student and other nonimmigrant visa categories are not automatically included in the pause.
The announcement comes just days after a federal judge struck down a separate Trump administration policy that had suspended immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Haiti. That ruling was separate from the new worldwide appointment pause.
For families waiting to reunite in the United States, the latest move could mean more delays and uncertainty as consular officers complete the new training.






















































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