US visa applicants may face delays as shutdown takes effect: Embassy warns

US government shutdown halts non-essential services, but visa and passport processing at embassies will continue, with possible delays

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The United States government has shut down for the first time in seven years, forcing several federal agencies to scale back operations. Many services are expected to face delays, including routine paperwork and approvals.

 

Embassy says visa and passport services to continue

 

Despite the shutdown, the US Embassy in India has said that passport and visa services will carry on. These include travel visas, business visas and H-1B visas.

 

“At this time, scheduled passport and visa services in the United States and at US Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits. We will not update this account until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information,” read the embassy statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. 

 

What happens in a US shutdown

 

During a shutdown, non-essential federal services are halted and workers are placed on unpaid leave until Congress agrees a budget. Those whose roles are deemed essential for safety or property protection must continue working without pay until the deadlock is resolved.

 

Possible delays in visa processing

 

While embassy operations are continuing, applicants may still see some delays in processing.

 

“A US government shutdown primarily arises when Congress is unable to pass a budget or appropriations bill, which results in many federal agencies being compelled to suspend ‘non-essential’ services. However, the visa processing system is somewhat insulated from such disruptions. This is because the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US Department of State’s consular services are largely fee-funded operations,” Adesh Nandal, Advocate at Jotwani Associates told Business Standard.

 

He explained that applicants pay filing and processing fees that are ring-fenced to sustain services, so embassies and consulates generally remain open. “That being said, the ripple effects of a shutdown cannot be ruled out entirely. Agencies that support the visa process—such as the Department of Labor, which certifies Labour Condition Applications for H-1B petitions, or the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, which conduct certain background checks—are funded by Congressional appropriations. If their functioning is slowed or halted during a shutdown, it can indirectly lead to delays, extended processing times, or bottlenecks in particular categories of visas,” he said.