US visa appointments paused globally during State Department training

US President Donald Trump's administration has issued a pause on visa appointments for applicants around the world during an ongoing immigration crackdown. A US State Department spokesperson said the pause was launched to accommodate a global training initiative at all US embassies and consulates worldwide. Appointments for visa services will be adjusted to accommodate the training. The State Department said the training aimed to help consular officers screen out applicants deemed likely to become dependent on U.S. public benefits and to ensure evaluation of visa applicants "comprehensively and consistently." Immigrant visa applicants with scheduled interviews at U.S. embassies and consulates have received emails that their appointments were being rescheduled and that they would receive future notice of a new date. The State Department did not specify details on the training timeline.