US Pauses Global Visa Appointments Amid Immigration Policy Shift

The U.S. State Department has paused visa appointments worldwide to conduct a global training initiative for consular officers, according to an announcement on August 25, 2026.

Applicants with previously scheduled interviews have been notified via email that their appointments are cancelled, with new dates to be provided in future notifications.

This pause follows a recent legal setback where a U.S. judge struck down a policy suspending immigrant visas for 75 countries, ruling it exceeded the Secretary of State's authority.