The administration of US President Donald Trump has suspended the conduct of interviews for applicants for immigration visas at American embassies and consulates worldwide. Scheduled meetings will be rescheduled due to a global training of consular staff, reports Reuters.
Why the USA is postponing immigration visa interviews
The US Department of State explained that a training program is being launched at all American embassies and consulates. Because of this, the schedules for visa services will be temporarily adjusted.
The training is intended to help consular staff more thoroughly verify applicants, including assessing the risk that they may rely on public assistance in the USA after relocating.
The Department of State stated that the goal of the program is to ensure that visa applicants are assessed comprehensively and consistently. However, specific timelines for the completion of training and the restoration of the usual interview schedule were not announced.
According to Financial Times, some applicants who already had scheduled interviews at American diplomatic missions received emails about their postponement. New dates will be communicated to them later.
Importantly, the decision specifically concerns immigration visas, not all categories of American visas.
The USA is strengthening legal immigration rules
The decision was made against the backdrop of the administration's stricter immigration policy. US authorities have intensified checks on applicants, revoked some visas and green cards, and introduced additional requirements for certain categories of foreigners.
At the same time, some of the administration's decisions are being challenged in court. On August 21, an American judge overturned a policy that involved suspending the issuance of immigration visas to citizens of 75 countries. The court concluded that such a policy exceeded the powers of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Human rights organizations criticize the administration's immigration course, citing risks of discrimination and violations of procedural rights. The White House, for its part, explains the tightening of controls as a necessity to enhance the country's internal security.
It should be noted that the United States is launching a new paid service for applicants for tourist and B1/B2 business visas.