The US administration has unexpectedly suspended the acceptance and processing of applications for immigrant visas globally. The news was first confirmed by the authoritative publication Financial Times, citing official sources from the US State Department.
All scheduled interviews for applicants for “Green Card“ and permanent next step for moving to America have been postponed indefinitely. Applicants are already receiving official rescheduling notices, with new dates to be announced at a later stage.
Why did the US stop processing visas?
According to the State Department statement, quoted by the Financial Times (ft.com), the extreme measure is necessary due to urgent and “in-depth training“ of consular officers. The administration's goal is to tighten the process of screening foreigners. Washington wants to prevent the entry of individuals who could become a burden on the country's social system and require state assistance (the so-called public charge rule).
The blocking of the process comes just three days after a serious legal clash in the American judicial system. On August 21, 2026, the New York District Court, headed by Judge Janet Vargas, declared “manifestly unlawful“ the White House's previous ban, which restricted immigration visas specifically for citizens of 75 countries (including Russia, Belarus, Brazil, Thailand, and Egypt). The court ruled that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had exceeded his authority by imposing collective restrictions based on nationality, rather than reviewing each case individually.
What's next for applicants?
The State Department's new global pause effectively circumvents the court's ruling by halting the process for all countries under the pretext of internal reorganization. International law experts, quoted by the Reuters news agency (reuters.com), predict new waves of lawsuits from human rights organizations.
It is important to note that the current suspension does not affect non-immigrant visas – tourist (B1/B2), student, and business visas continue to be processed as normal.
Official information and updates on the subject are posted on the U.S. Department of State Consular Services website (travel.state.gov).