The United States has suspended immigrant visa applications worldwide as the Trump administration expands its efforts to tighten immigration screening and limit the entry of people it believes could become dependent on US government assistance.
A US State Department spokesperson told the Financial Times on Tuesday, confirming the development, that the department has launched “a global training initiative” this month to “ensure all consular officers are fully equipped to evaluate every visa applicant comprehensively and consistently.”
For people already in the middle of the visa process, however, the pause means more than a change in screening.
Treasure Ayanfe Adetula
What Does the Pause Mean for Immigrant Visa Applicants?
At the moment, visa applicants with scheduled interviews at US embassies and consulates are being notified that their appointments are being rescheduled and that they will receive a new date and time in a future notice.
But the State Department has not said when those appointments will resume, leaving applicants uncertain about when they can complete the next stage of their visa process. For applicants who have already made travel arrangements or spent money preparing for their interviews, the delay could mean having to spend even more.
Brian Simmons, an attorney at immigration law firm Fragomen in Washington, said many affected applicants had “already spent thousands of dollars and disrupted their lives to attend scheduled interviews, only to have their appointments cancelled at the last minute”.
The disruption also comes just a week after a federal judge struck down Trump's pause on immigrant visa applications from 75 mostly poorer countries, which targeted people the administration believed could require US assistance.
Could the New Visa Pause Face Legal Challenges?
Although the State Department has defended this new development, saying “A more prosperous America means ensuring that visa applicants are not likely to become a public charge, as defined under US law and regulation, and not likely to become dependent on US public benefits reserved for qualified Americans in need,” a State Department spokesperson told the FT.
The administration, however, has already faced legal challenges over similar immigration restrictions, putting its latest move under a familiar legal spotlight.
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