Applicants left waiting after cancellations with no notice of when they can return

The U.S. has paused visa appointments at all of its embassies and consulates around the world in what is the latest step in President Donald Trump’s campaign to rein in immigration to the U.S.

The State Department confirmed Tuesday it was temporarily halting visa appointments because of an overseas training program to help consular staff better assess who should be allowed into the U.S.

That has left thousands of people with interviews already scheduled to find themselves waiting with no one to say when, or indeed if, those interviews can take place.

Applicants left waiting with no end in sight

Many found themselves left waiting with no end in sight after receiving emails notifying them their appointments were cancelled with no new date given.

The State Department did not say how long the training program would last or when visa appointments would resume but said the training would help consular staff carry out a more thorough job of reviewing applicants’ eligibility when they arrive in the U.S.

It said that was necessary to ensure that those issued visas would not become dependent on U.S. government support

Part of a pattern of Trump’s clampdown on immigration

The move is part of a pattern of efforts by the Trump administration to impose tighter controls on both illegal and legal immigration to the U.S.

The President’s revised travel ban which saw immigrant visas from several countries banned, was partially overturned by a federal judge last month who ruled it went beyond the Secretary of State’s powers.

Human rights groups accuse the administration of going further by also targeting people’s free speech by revoking visas of those protesting against the Israel-Gaza war.

What it means for you

For now it means if you have an interview arranged you need to make alternative plans. But it also raises questions about how long the “training period” will last and whether it is a temporary postponement or something more permanent. Expect answers to those questions to come out slowly given the way the Trump administration has worked so far.