The Trump administration has paused the processing of US immigrant visa applications worldwide as it moves to tighten screening of applicants and prevent people considered likely to depend on government assistance from entering the country.
A US State Department official confirmed the development on Tuesday, saying the new measure was introduced at American embassies and consulates in early August.
The department said visa appointments were being adjusted to allow for “in-depth training” of consular officers as part of efforts to strengthen the assessment of applicants.
The State Department has been working on updated guidance and training since early this year to ensure consular officers can evaluate visa applicants “comprehensively and consistently,” the official said.
Applicants who had already secured interview appointments were reportedly informed by email that their appointments had been cancelled. They were told they would be contacted when new dates become available.
The pause is part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown, which has targeted both lawful and undocumented immigration.
According to US officials, the latest move is intended to ensure that immigrants do not become dependent on public benefits provided by the US government.
The development comes days after the administration announced plans to revoke the visas of some asylum seekers who entered the US on business or tourist visas before applying for asylum.
Up to 200,000 people could be affected by the proposed visa revocations, which officials say could become the largest single mass visa revocation exercise in US history.
The action is being coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security.
US visa applicants have also faced additional requirements under the Trump administration, including increased scrutiny of their social media activities and higher processing costs.
The latest immigrant visa pause follows an earlier attempt by the administration to restrict visa processing on “public charge” grounds.
That policy had suspended immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, but a federal judge recently overturned the measure.
Reacting to that ruling, Joanna Cuevas Ingram, a senior staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center, said immigration laws could not be used to justify discrimination.
She said the organisation would continue to hold the administration accountable and seek relief for people and families affected by the policy.
The latest suspension is expected to cause further difficulties for applicants who have already spent significant sums on travel and other arrangements for their visa interviews.
Brian Simmons, an immigration attorney with Fragomen in Washington, said many affected applicants had spent thousands of dollars and disrupted their lives to attend scheduled interviews, only to have their appointments cancelled at short notice.
It remains unclear when the cancelled appointments will be rescheduled, leaving applicants uncertain about their immigration plans.
The development adds to a growing list of immigration restrictions introduced by the Trump administration, several of which have faced legal challenges in US courts.
