U.S. Temporarily Suspends Immigrant Visa Appointments Worldwide

Since August 24, 2026, applicants for immigrant visas (permanent immigrant visas) at numerous U.S. diplomatic missions worldwide have been receiving notifications that their interview appointments have been postponed or canceled on short notice. The U.S. government has since officially confirmed the measure: All consular sections at U.S. embassies and consulates are temporarily suspending the scheduling of immigrant visa appointments in order to conduct a nationwide training initiative for consular officers.

According to reports, one of the reasons for the suspension is a new training program designed to better equip consular officers to assess whether prospective immigrants are likely to become dependent on public benefits in the U.S. This assessment is part of the existing eligibility criteria for immigrant visas, but it is now apparently being implemented with stricter internal guidelines and more standardized evaluation criteria. This affects only immigrant visas—that is, visas for permanent residence in the U.S.—and should not be confused with nonimmigrant visas such as tourist or business visas.

According to reports, the disruption is affecting locations on several continents simultaneously: reports have come in from Hong Kong, Manila, Nairobi, Santo Domingo, Ciudad Juárez, Seoul, Ankara, Guatemala City, and Dhaka, among others. Some applicants were simply informed that their appointment had been postponed, without being given a new date immediately. This practice is causing considerable uncertainty for many of those affected, especially when deadlines for other steps in the process are approaching or travel plans have already been made.

This measure coincides with further announcements by the U.S. government that up to 200,000 B1/B2 visas (tourist and business visas) could be reviewed or revoked. Both developments underscore that U.S. authorities are currently tightening their control mechanisms across the entire visa system—for both permanent and temporary residence statuses. For travelers who currently need a tourist visa or an ESTA to enter the U.S., the situation remains unchanged for now; however, it is advisable to submit applications well in advance and to allow sufficient time for travel plans.

It is currently unknown how long the suspension of immigrant visa appointments will last or when the affected embassies and consulates will resume regular appointment operations. Applicants whose interviews have been rescheduled should check their email inboxes regularly and avoid making non-refundable travel reservations until they have a confirmed new appointment.

For anyone planning a trip to the U.S. regardless of these circumstances, it is still possible to apply for an ESTA for the U.S. or a U.S. tourist visa. If you would like an overview of the various visa categories and the required documents for each, you can find all relevant information—including processing times and costs—in our U.S. visa overview.