Trump administration pauses visa appointments worldwide
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has temporarily paused some visa appointments worldwide as the State Department launches a new training program for consular officers, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
A State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday that the training initiative was being introduced at all U.S. embassies and consulates, with visa appointments adjusted to accommodate the program.
The department did not specify how long the training would last or provide details on the scale of appointment changes.
According to the State Department, the initiative is intended to help consular officers identify applicants considered likely to become dependent on U.S. public benefits and ensure visa applications are assessed “comprehensively and consistently.”
The move comes amid the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown, which has included visa and green card revocations, tighter screening procedures and new restrictions affecting legal immigration.
Trump has argued that tougher immigration policies are necessary to strengthen U.S. national security.
The latest measures follow a legal setback for the administration. On August 21, a U.S. judge struck down a policy that had suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, ruling that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had exceeded his statutory authority.
The suspension of appointments is also affecting applicants who had already secured interviews. Some immigrant visa applicants have reportedly been informed that scheduled interviews at U.S. embassies and consulates are being rescheduled, with new dates to be provided later.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the United States had introduced a permanent visa bond program requiring citizens of 50 countries applying for B-1/B-2 business and tourist visas to pay a refundable bond of up to $20,000 before receiving a visa.
