What happened: worldwide pause on immigrant-visa appointments
The U.S. Department of State announced a pause on immigrant visa appointments worldwide for immigrant visa applicants during an ongoing U.S. immigration crackdown.
The U.S. State Department spokesperson said the pause is intended to accommodate a worldwide training initiative at U.S. embassies and U.S. consulates, with appointment schedules adjusted to allow the training.
Background and earlier position: court limits on broad immigrant-visa suspensions
A U.S. judge struck down an earlier U.S. policy suspending immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, stating the policy exceeded statutory authority.
The U.S. Department of State stated that the training helps consular officers screen out applicants likely to become dependent on public benefits and supports consistent evaluation.
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