President Donald Trump has suspended the processing of all immigrant visa applications across the world.
The suspension, confirmed by a US State Department official, on Tuesday, affects immigrant visa processing at US embassies and consulates worldwide.
According to the official, the initiative began in early August, with visa appointments adjusted to allow consular officers to undergo what the department described as “in-depth training”.
The training is aimed at ensuring officers can assess visa applicants “comprehensively and consistently”, as the administration seeks to prevent immigrants from entering US if they are deemed likely to depend on government assistance.
The Financial Times reported that some applicants who already had interviews scheduled received emails informing them that their appointments had been cancelled. They were told they would receive new dates once the process resumes.
The latest move is part of a broader immigration crackdown by Trump’s administration targeting both lawful and undocumented migrants.
Trump had also this week announced plans to revoke the visas of asylum seekers who initially entered the US on tourist or business visas.
It is believed that the measure could affect up to 200,000 people and would represent the largest mass revocation of visas in US history.
