WASHINGTON, United States: US visa appointments are being paused or rescheduled worldwide as the State Department conducts new training for consular officers across American embassies and consulates.
A State Department spokesperson said Tuesday, August 25, that the global initiative requires visa-service appointments to be adjusted while officers undergo training. The department has not announced how long the disruption will last.
The training is intended to help officers evaluate applicants “comprehensively and consistently,” including whether they could become dependent on US public benefits, according to the State Department.
The Financial Times reported that immigrant visa applicants with scheduled interviews at US embassies and consulates had received notices saying their appointments were being rescheduled. Applicants were told they would be notified of new dates later.
The State Department has not publicly clarified whether every visa category at every diplomatic post is completely suspended. Its official statement says appointments are being adjusted, while the actual cancellations have focused particularly on immigrant visa interviews.
Read: US Visa Freeze for 75 Countries Blocked by Federal Judge
The move comes amid President Donald Trump’s broader tightening of legal and illegal immigration during his second term. On Friday, a US judge struck down a separate administration policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, ruling that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had exceeded his statutory authority.
The State Department continues to publish embassy-specific visa wait times, which can change according to staffing and appointment availability.
