US Suspends Immigrant Visa Interviews Globally: Trump Pauses All Applications for Officer Training

The Trump administration has suspended all immigrant visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, citing the need for additional training of consular officers. The State Department confirmed that the pause is intended to ensure officers consistently apply public charge rules — evaluating whether applicants are likely to become dependent on U.S. government assistance. Applicants with scheduled interviews have been notified by email that their appointments are postponed indefinitely. The State Department launched a worldwide training program in August 2026 to help consular officers assess visa applications more thoroughly. Officials have not announced a timeline for when normal appointment schedules will resume, stating only that visa services will be adjusted during the training period. The visa pause follows a federal court ruling last week that blocked an earlier State Department policy which had suspended immigration applications from 75 lower-income countries. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the policy unlawfully interfered with authority Congress granted to consular officers, canceling both the policy and visa refusals made under it. Both sides have until September 11, 2026 to propose how remaining issues in the case should be resolved. For EB-3 applicants, this global pause represents a significant delay in consular processing, particularly for those awaiting immigrant visa interviews abroad. The administration has also separately required applicants to process immigrant visas in their country of citizenship since 2025, affecting individuals already legally residing in the U.S., including some married to U.S. citizens. This move coincides with the Trump administration's proposed $103,265 H-1B visa application fee, announced the day prior. The broader pattern of tightened vetting, expanded deportation operations, and stricter public charge enforcement signals continued pressure on all immigrant visa categories, including employment-based applicants in the EB-3 pipeline.