US visa interviews disrupted worldwide for consular officer training

The United States has paused or rescheduled visa appointments at diplomatic missions around the world as the State Department conducts a global training programme for consular officers, according to reports by Reuters and the Financial Times.

The move comes as President Donald Trump’s administration steps up scrutiny of legal immigration alongside its broader crackdown on illegal immigration.

A State Department spokesperson told Reuters that the training initiative was being conducted across US embassies and consulates, with visa appointments being adjusted to allow officers to participate.

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 that fresh dates and times would be communicated later.

The State Department has not indicated when normal interview schedules will resume or provided a timeline for applicants awaiting replacement appointments, according to the FT.

Focus on visa screening

The department said the training programme, launched this month, was intended to strengthen and standardise the way consular officers assess visa applications.

“A more prosperous America means ensuring that visa applicants are not likely to become a public charge, as defined under US law and regulation, and not likely to become dependent on US public benefits reserved for qualified Americans in need,” a State Department spokesperson told the Financial Times.

The spokesperson said the department had begun “a global training initiative” aimed at ensuring consular officers were “fully equipped to evaluate every visa applicant comprehensively and consistently”.

“To accommodate this in-depth training, appointments for visa services will be adjusted,” the spokesperson added.

The disruption could create further uncertainty for people seeking US visas, particularly immigrant visa applicants who need to complete processing at US diplomatic missions overseas.

Wider immigration crackdown

The development comes amid a tightening of immigration policy since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.

His administration has increased scrutiny of visa and green-card applications while pursuing an aggressive deportation drive and changes to the US refugee admissions system.

Rules affecting immigrant visa processing have also made it more difficult for some applicants to complete their cases away from their country of citizenship, including people who may be legally living or working elsewhere.

Trump campaigned in 2024 on a pledge to curb illegal immigration, but his second administration has also introduced measures affecting legal immigration, including tougher screening, higher fees and restrictions involving some foreign workers and other visa applicants.

The administration says its immigration policies are intended to strengthen US security and ensure immigration rules are enforced. Critics and rights groups, however, have challenged a number of measures in court, raising concerns over discrimination, free speech and due process.

Court setback for administration

The visa appointment disruption follows a legal setback for the administration last week.

On August 21, a US judge struck down a policy that had suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, ruling that the measure went beyond Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.

The latest training-related changes are separate from that policy, but could nevertheless mean longer waits for applicants until regular visa interview schedules resume.

- with inputs from ANI