The U.S. Department of State has temporarily paused immigrant visa interview appointments worldwide so its consular officers can undergo training on new public charge screening guidance—an assessment used to determine whether someone seeking to immigrate is likely to become dependent on government assistance. Nonimmigrant visa appointments and their application processing are not affected by this action, as the pause appears specific to immigrant visa applications.
The State Department has paused immigrant visa interview appointments at consulates and embassies worldwide so that its officers can undergo training on new public charge screening guidance.
Nonimmigrant visa categories—including tourist, student, and temporary work visas—are currently not impacted by the pause.
The pause in appointments appears temporary, though a specific timeline has not been announced.
The postponement of immigrant visa interviews comes after DHS policy changes affecting public charge standards and a federal district court ruling that vacated the State Department’s earlier pause on issuing immigrant visas to foreign nationals from seventy-five countries.
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