State Department Halts Immigrant Visa Interviews for Public-Charge Training
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The U.S. State Department has suspended immigrant visa interviews worldwide until consular officers complete training on the public-charge rule, delaying applicants who had reached the interview stage.
The State Department announced that all immigrant visa interviews at U.S. embassies and consulates are being postponed while consular officers undergo a global training program on the public-charge rule. The training, which began in early August, is intended to ensure that assessments of whether an applicant is likely to rely on public assistance are conducted "comprehensively and consistently," a State Department official said.
Applicants who had already received interview appointments were notified that their interviews were cancelled and that they would be contacted later with new dates, though the department did not provide a timeline for the rescheduling. Most diplomatic posts are expected to conduct the training sessions within the current week.
The pause comes amid broader immigration policy changes under the Trump administration, which has introduced higher fees for certain work visas and tighter limits on the stay of foreign students and journalists. The administration has also signaled plans to revoke up to 200,000 business and tourism visas for individuals who have applied for or are seeking asylum in the United States.
Legal challenges to recent immigration measures continue, including a recent federal court ruling that struck down a State Department policy suspending immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, finding it exceeded the secretary of state’s statutory authority.