US Suspends Immigrant Visa Applications Due to New Regulations
The Trump administration has temporarily halted immigrant visa applications and interviews in order to restrict candidates deemed potentially dependent on US public assistance. Detailed training for consular staff has been initiated, and existing appointments have been cancelled.
According to a statement by a US State Department official, the Trump administration has suspended all immigrant visa applications to restrict access for candidates likely to benefit from public assistance and to tighten the evaluation processes.
Training in Consulates and Cancelled Appointments
In early August, the State Department launched a comprehensive training program across all embassies and consulates to enable consular officers to thoroughly evaluate applications.
According to a report by the Financial Times, applicants whose interview dates had been set were emailed that their appointments were cancelled and that a new date would be communicated to them.
Brian Simmons, an attorney from the law firm Fragomen, stated that individuals who had spent thousands of dollars and made their preparations faced last-minute cancellation notices, and that it remains uncertain when appointments will be rescheduled.
Asylum Seekers and Additional Restrictions
The administration also announced plans, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, to cancel the visas of asylum seekers who initially entered the country on tourist or business visas. It is stated that this step could affect around 200,000 asylum seekers.
According to information reported by the Associated Press, immigrant visa applicants are also facing new challenges such as the review of their social media histories and additional processing fees.
Previous attempts by the administration to implement a similar restriction covering 75 countries and moves to completely suspend the refugee system had been blocked by federal judges.