Trump administration suspends immigrant visa appointments worldwide

The Trump administration has temporarily paused immigrant visa applications worldwide as the US State Department trains consular officers to apply stricter “public charge” screening.

According to a Financial Times report, the initiative is intended to help officials assess whether applicants could become primarily dependent on government assistance after entering the United States.

Immigrant visa applicants with interviews scheduled at US embassies and consulates have reportedly received emails informing them that their appointments have been rescheduled. They have been told that fresh dates and times will be communicated later.

The State Department said the training would enable consular officials to examine applications comprehensively and apply the relevant rules consistently.

“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 Financial Times.

The spokesperson said the department had started a “global training initiative” in August to ensure that consular officers were fully equipped to evaluate every applicant.

Under US immigration law, the term “public charge” generally refers to a person considered likely to become primarily reliant on the government for financial support.

Such a determination is ordinarily made after examining an applicant’s individual circumstances, including finances, age, health, skills and family situation.

The reported global pause comes as the Trump administration intensifies its immigration crackdown and tightens rules governing green cards and other immigration routes.

It also follows the administration’s proposal for a new $103,265 application fee for cap-subject H-1B petitions.

The H-1B programme allows American employers to recruit foreign professionals for specialised roles requiring technical or theoretical expertise. US technology companies use the programme extensively to hire workers from countries including India and China.

President Donald Trump has pursued restrictive immigration measures since returning to office in 2025, with his administration seeking to reduce both illegal immigration and access to some legal migration pathways.

The latest pause follows an earlier State Department policy that suspended immigrant visa issuance for applicants from 75 countries, including Brazil, Colombia and Russia, over concerns that they could become reliant on public assistance.

In January, the department halted immigrant visa issuance for nationals of countries representing nearly 40 per cent of the world, arguing that the measure would prevent people likely to use welfare and other public benefits from entering the US.

A federal judge struck down that policy on Friday, ruling that it was “contrary to law” and exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority, according to CNN.

With PTI inputs