2026 Alert: U.S. Pauses Immigrant Visa Appointments Worldwide for Public Charge Screening

The U.S. State Department has announced a worldwide pause on immigrant visa appointments, effective as of late August 2026. Consular posts across the globe are rescheduling interviews as consular officers complete mandatory new training centered on public charge screening procedures. This move signals a significant tightening of the immigrant visa adjudication process at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. The training specifically targets public charge assessments — a process used to evaluate whether a visa applicant is likely to become primarily dependent on government assistance. Stricter enforcement of public charge rules has been a recurring theme in recent U.S. immigration policy, and this latest training push suggests consular officers are being equipped with updated or more rigorous evaluation criteria. For EB-3 applicants and other employment-based immigrants who have cases pending at National Visa Center (NVC) or are awaiting consular processing abroad, this pause may result in delayed interview scheduling and extended processing timelines. Those already scheduled for interviews should verify their appointment status directly with their respective U.S. embassy or consulate. Applicants are advised to monitor official State Department communications, check the status of their case via the CEAC portal, and consult with their immigration attorney regarding how this pause may affect their specific timeline. Financial sponsors should also ensure their Form I-864 documentation is thorough and current, given the heightened focus on public charge review.