Trump administration pauses all immigrant visa applications worldwide

The Trump administration has paused immigrant visa applications worldwide for consular officer training, delaying scheduled interviews as the US steps up checks on visa applicants

The Donald Trump administration has halted immigrant visa processing worldwide to allow US consular officers to undergo additional training, according to a report by the Financial Times. The move aims to strengthen checks on whether applicants could become dependent on US government assistance.

 

Applicants who had interviews scheduled at US embassies and consulates have been informed by email that their appointments are postponed. They will be notified later about new dates and times.

 

Citing a US State Department spokesperson, the news report said the administration wants to ensure that people applying for immigrant visas are unlikely to become a 'public charge' or rely on public benefits intended for eligible Americans.

 

The department began a worldwide training programme this month to help consular officers assess visa applications more thoroughly and apply the rules consistently.

 

The State Department has not given a date for when normal appointment schedules will resume. It said visa services would be adjusted while officers complete the training, the news report said.

 

Latest move to tighten US immigration

 

Since beginning his second term in 2025, President Donald Trump has intensified his immigration crackdown in the US. The move comes as the administration expands scrutiny of immigration applications and strengthens vetting requirements for those seeking to enter or settle in the US. His administration has also introduced tighter rules for visas and green cards and moved to largely end the US refugee resettlement programme.

 

Trump has also expanded deportation operations, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carrying out raids across the country.

 

The latest visa pause follows a court ruling last week that blocked an earlier administration policy targeting immigrants from 75 lower-income countries. The administration had said that applicants from those countries could be more likely to require government assistance.

 

H-1B visa fee row

 

The move to cancel US visa appointments worldwide came a day after the Trump administration proposed a $103,265 application fee for H-1B visas. The H-1B is a non-immigrant work visa that allows US companies to employ skilled workers from other countries.

 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposal follows Trump’s announcement last year that he wanted to raise the H-1B visa fee to $100,000. However, a court put the president’s proclamation on hold in June this year.

 

The proposed fee change is expected to move forward after a 30-day period during which the public can submit comments.

 

Court challenges to Trump’s immigration policies

 

Trump’s immigration policies have faced repeated legal challenges. During his first term, federal courts blocked an attempt to prevent citizens of seven Muslim countries from entering the US. The Supreme Court later allowed a narrower version of the travel restrictions to take effect.

 

In the latest case, US District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled last week against a State Department policy announced in January that had paused immigration applications from 75 countries. Vargas said the policy interfered with the authority and decision-making powers that Congress had given to consular officers in visa matters. She cancelled the policy and visa refusals made under it.

 

The judge has given both sides until September 11 to suggest how the remaining issues in the case should be resolved.

 

Immigrant visa processing rules

 

The administration has also changed where immigrant visa applicants are expected to process their applications.

 

Since last year, applicants have been required to complete immigrant visa processing in their country of citizenship. This has affected people who may already be legally living and working in the US, including some who are married to US citizens or have children who are American citizens.