The United States has paused visa appointments at its embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers undergo new training, in a move that could delay applications from Sri Lanka and every other country.
A US State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday that the department had launched a global training initiative at all US embassies and consulates, and that appointments for visa services would be adjusted to accommodate it, NewsFirst reported, carrying Reuters copy.
The department said the training was intended to help consular officers screen out applicants deemed likely to become dependent on US public benefits, and to ensure visa applications are evaluated “comprehensively and consistently”. It did not give details of the training or say how long it would run, and has not said when normal scheduling will resume.
What is actually on hold
The scope of the pause is narrower than the announcement suggests, on the evidence in the report itself.
The State Department’s own wording refers broadly to “appointments for visa services”. But the specific disruption described comes from the Financial Times, which first reported the pause and said it was immigrant visa applicants — those seeking permanent residence — who had received emails telling them their scheduled interviews were being rescheduled, with new dates to follow.
No non-immigrant category was named. That distinction matters for Sri Lankan readers: it is the difference between a hold on family- and employment-based residence applications and a hold that would also cover tourist, business and student visas. On the reporting available, only the former is documented.
Context
The pause comes during a broader immigration crackdown in President Donald Trump’s second term, which the report said has included revocations of visas and green cards and the rejection of applications on grounds including applicants’ political opinions and participation in pro-Palestinian protests. Trump has said the crackdown is intended to improve domestic security.
The instruction was described as applying to all US missions worldwide, which would include the US Embassy in Colombo. No Sri Lanka-specific announcement had been reported at the time of publication, and no verified Sri Lankan newsroom other than NewsFirst had filed its own report on the pause.
