U.S. Pauses Immigrant Visa Processing Worldwide

The State Department began the pause in early August as part of a global training initiative at U.S. embassies and consulates.

The Trump administration has temporarily paused immigrant visa processing for applicants worldwide as U.S. consular officers undergo training on stricter standards for determining whether prospective immigrants could become dependent on government benefits, AP News reports.

The State Department began the pause in early August as part of a global training initiative at U.S. embassies and consulates. The interruption is expected to last until early to mid-September, the outlet reports. Applicants with interviews scheduled in August are expected to have their appointments moved to September, October, or November.

The pause largely affects people seeking immigrant visas through family relationships, including parents, spouses, children, and siblings of U.S. citizens. Employment-based applicants with employer sponsorship are generally not affected because they can demonstrate expected earnings, according to AP.

The State Department said the training is intended to help consular officers consistently determine whether applicants could become a “public charge,” a designation under federal immigration law that can make a prospective immigrant inadmissible based on the likelihood of dependence on government assistance.

“The Trump Administration is protecting the American people by upholding the highest standards of screening and vetting of visa applicants,” a State Department spokesperson said.

The State Department has also launched a pilot program allowing consular officers to require certain immigrant visa applicants initially denied on public-charge grounds to apply for a bond as one way of demonstrating they are unlikely to become a public charge after entering the United States.

The worldwide pause comes days after U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas on Aug. 21 struck down a separate Trump administration policy that suspended immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries. Vargas ruled that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his statutory authority by requiring otherwise eligible applicants to be denied based on nationality.

The 75-country restriction had been in place since January and was similarly based on concerns that immigrants could become dependent on public assistance.

The latest pause is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to tighten both legal and illegal immigration. Reuters reported that the administration has pursued visa and green-card revocations, increased scrutiny of applicants, and higher fees for certain work visas. Trump has said his immigration policies are intended to strengthen domestic security.