WASHINGTON (ABS News) – The U.S. State Department has paused or rescheduled immigrant visa appointments at American embassies and consulates around the world, saying consular officers need time to complete new training on screening applicants.
The department confirmed the pause this week, describing it as part of a “global training initiative” launched in early August. Applicants with interviews already on the books are being notified that their appointments are being pushed back, though the department has not said when normal scheduling will resume.
A State Department spokesperson said the training centers on assessing whether visa applicants are likely to become a “public charge,” that is, dependent on U.S. public benefits, a standard defined under existing immigration law and regulations. The spokesperson said embassies and consulates would notify affected applicants directly as appointments are adjusted.
The move follows a federal judge’s decision last week to vacate a Trump administration policy that had suspended visa processing for applicants from 75 countries the administration had flagged as likely to require public assistance. That policy had drawn legal challenges from immigration advocates who argued it exceeded the administration’s authority and unfairly targeted entire nations rather than individual applicants.
The new worldwide pause effectively achieves a similar slowdown in immigrant visa processing, but through a different mechanism: rather than blocking applicants by nationality, the department is holding appointments across the board while staff undergo training, according to reporting from the Financial Times and The New York Times, later confirmed by Reuters and other outlets.
Immigration attorneys and applicants say the practical effect has been the same regardless of the legal reasoning: a wave of postponed interviews at posts worldwide over the past several days, with no fixed date for resumption.
The pause applies to immigrant visas, which lead to permanent U.S. residency, rather than nonimmigrant visas for tourism, business or temporary work, though some reports indicate broader scheduling disruptions at individual posts. Applicants are advised to check directly with the embassy or consulate handling their case, since the timeline and scope of rescheduling can vary post to post.
This is not the first time immigrant visa processing has been suspended on a global scale. The State Department halted routine visa services worldwide in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a suspension that lasted months at many posts.
The department has not indicated how long the current training-related pause will last or how many applicants are affected. Immigration policy has been a recurring flashpoint of the current administration, with courts repeatedly weighing in on the legality of visa restrictions tied to public benefits eligibility.
Applicants awaiting rescheduled appointments are encouraged to monitor official communications from their local U.S. embassy or consulate rather than relying on third-party scheduling estimates.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
