US pauses immigrant visa interviews worldwide for consular officer training

Applicants with scheduled interviews have received cancellation emails, and the US State Department has not set a date for when normal processing will resume

The US State Department has paused immigrant visa interview appointments at all US embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers undergo what the department described as an "in-depth" global training initiative. A US State Department spokesperson confirmed the measure, according to Reuters.

The training focuses on public charge screening, which determines whether an immigrant visa applicant is likely to become dependent on US government assistance after entering the country. A public charge finding can make an applicant inadmissible under US federal immigration law. The US State Department said the training was launched in early August to help consular officers evaluate applicants "comprehensively and consistently."

The US State Department has not provided a timeline for when normal immigrant visa interview scheduling will resume. The department said only that visa service appointments would be "adjusted" to accommodate the training period.

Applicants who already had interviews scheduled at US embassies and consulates have received emails notifying them that their appointments were canceled. The emails stated that applicants would receive future notice of a new date and time, but did not specify when that communication would arrive. The Financial Times first reported the appointment pause.

The measure affects immigrant visa applicants, the category that leads to lawful permanent residence (green cards) in the United States. The US State Department has not indicated whether nonimmigrant visa categories, such as tourist visas (B1/B2), student visas (F-1), or work visas (H-1B), are subject to the same pause.

Does this affect US tourist visa appointments?

The US State Department's announcement specifically references immigrant visa appointments and the training of consular officers on public charge inadmissibility, a screening that applies to immigrant visa applicants seeking permanent residence.

The department has not stated that non-immigrant visa categories, including B1/B2 tourist and business visas, are subject to the same pause. Travelers applying for non-immigrant visas should check directly with the specific US embassy or consulate handling their application for the most current scheduling information.

What is the public charge rule for US immigrant visas?

The public charge rule allows the US government to deny an immigrant visa if a consular officer determines the applicant is likely to become primarily dependent on US government benefits after arriving in the country.

The assessment considers factors including the applicant's age, health, income, education, skills, family size, and financial resources. A public charge finding makes the applicant inadmissible under Section 212(a)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

What happened with the 75-country immigrant visa suspension?

A US federal judge struck down a separate Trump administration policy on August 21, 2026, that had suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries. The court ruled that the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statutory authority. That 75-country suspension was originally announced on January 14, 2026, and took effect on January 21, 2026, under public charge concerns similar to those cited in the current global training pause.

The new worldwide pause on immigrant visa interviews, announced days after the court ruling, applies to applicants from all countries rather than a designated list of 75. The US State Department has framed it as a training measure rather than a country-specific suspension.

Human rights organizations have argued that both the 75-country suspension and the broader immigration enforcement measures pursued by the Trump administration are discriminatory and violate free speech and due process protections. The US government has maintained that the measures are necessary to improve domestic security and protect public resources.