The Trump administration has directed U.S.embassies and consulates around the world to postpone immigrant visa interviews while consular officers complete training on new public-charge guidance, temporarily stalling applications that have reached the interview stage.The State Department told diplomatic posts to reschedule immigrant visa interviews until consular officers complete the training on how to evaluate whether an applicant is likely to become a public charge.A public-charge determination can make an immigrant visa applicant inadmissible under federal immigration law if officials determine the person is likely to become dependent on certain forms of public assistance after arriving in the U.S."In early August, we launched a global training initiative at all of our embassies and consulates worldwide.
To accommodate this in-depth training, appointments for visa services will be adjusted," a State Department official said in a statement.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES SIX-FIGURE PRICE TAG FOR NEW H-1B VISASThe Trump administration informed U.S.embassies and consulates around the world of a pause on all visa interviews until consular officers complete training sessions on new restrictive guidance.
(Eric Lee/Getty Images)The official added that the training is intended to ensure evaluations of visa applicants are made "comprehensively and consistently."For most diplomatic posts, the training sessions are expected to take place this week.The State Department did not say when affected applicants would be notified of their rescheduled interview dates.The scheduling changes have sparked uncertainty among immigrant visa applicants who received emails informing them that their interviews had been canceled without instructions for immediately rescheduling them.STATE DEPARTMENT BLASTS BACK AT 'ROGUE JUDGE' WHO OVERTURNED AGGRESSIVE VISA CRACKDOWNPeople who had an appointment scheduled for the visa process to the U.S.that was then canceled wait outside the U.S.
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