On August 25, 2026, Reuters reported that the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has directed U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide to pause immigrant visa appointments while consular officers undergo training on the administration’s recently expanded public charge screening requirements. According to the report, the DOS has launched a global training initiative designed to help officers assess whether visa applicants are likely to become dependent on U.S. public benefits and to ensure that immigrant visa applications are evaluated consistently across all posts worldwide.
As a result of the training initiative, immigrant visa (IV) interviews are reportedly being postponed at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. Applicants with scheduled appointments may receive notices that their interviews are being rescheduled, with new appointment dates to be provided at a later time.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters that the department has launched a worldwide training program across all U.S. embassies and consulates and that visa appointment schedules are being adjusted to accommodate the initiative.
At the time of this alert, the DOS has not announced how long the pause will remain in effect, nor has it provided additional details regarding the training curriculum or when normal appointment scheduling will resume.
According to Reuters, immigrant visa applicants with previously scheduled interviews have reportedly received notifications that their appointments are being rescheduled and that updated interview dates will be provided at a later time.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
A temporary pause in immigrant visa appointments could result in processing delays for applicants worldwide, particularly those with pending family-based and employment-based immigrant visa cases at U.S. consulates and embassies. Employers sponsoring permanent residence cases for foreign nationals may also experience delays if interview scheduling timelines are extended.
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.