--- title: US Pauses Immigrant Visa Interviews Worldwide description: State Dept paused immigrant visa interviews worldwide for public-charge training. See what continues, what to do after a cancel email, and Sept 18 AOS rules. image: https://migrantiq.com/uploads/blog/u-s-pauses-immigrant-visa-interviews-for-public-charge-train-1788326434243.webp --- Skip to content Ad spot · 728×90Advertise on MigrantIQBuy this spot [/advertise/?format=leaderboard] Policy Updates [/blog/topics/policy-updates/]Reviewed Sep 2026 U.S. PAUSES IMMIGRANT VISA INTERVIEWS FOR PUBLIC CHARGE TRAINING Share Reading 0% ~4 min left US Pauses Immigrant Visa Interviews Worldwide [/api/blog/media/u-s-pauses-immigrant-visa-interviews-for-public-charge-train-1788326434243.webp] The U.S. Department of State paused immigrant visa interviews worldwide around 25 August 2026 for public-charge training. Family, employment, and Diversity Visa consular cases abroad wait for new dates. Nonimmigrant visas and Form I-485 inside the United States continue. The U.S. Department of State [/blog/state-department-cable-reopens-refused-immigrant-and-diversity-visa-cases/] paused immigrant visa interview appointments worldwide around 25 August 2026. Consular officers now undergo in-depth training on updated public-charge screening. Officers assess whether an applicant is likely to become dependent on U.S. public benefits. Your overseas green card interview sits on hold under family-based, employment-based, or Diversity Visa consular processing. The State Department [/blog/state-department-restricts-visas-for-child-abduction-obstruction-from-28-se/] said a global training initiative launched in early August at all U.S. embassies and consulates. Appointments for visa services will be adjusted while officers complete the new screening instruction. The pause targets immigrant visa interviews abroad. Your case falls inside the hold if you seek an immigrant visa through overseas consular processing. PAUSE COVERS THESE IMMIGRANT INTERVIEWS Family-based immigrant visa interviews abroad now wait for new slots. Employment-based immigrant visa interviews abroad also wait. Diversity Visa immigrant visa interviews abroad wait as well. Overseas green card consular processing sits inside the same pause. Applicants with scheduled interviews received cancellation or postponement emails. Your embassy or consulate will issue a replacement date later. No firm public restart date appeared in late August or 1 September coverage. Plan for uncertainty on timing until your post sends new instructions. SERVICES STILL OPEN Nonimmigrant visas keep moving. F-1 student visa [/blog/dhs-ends-duration-of-status-for-f-j-and-i-visas-on-15-september-2026/] interviews continue. H-1B specialty occupation visas continue. L-1 intracompany transfer visas continue. B-1 and B-2 visitor visas continue. USCIS petition adjudications continue. Form I-485 adjustment of status [/blog/uscis-rejects-older-form-i-485-editions-from-18-september-2026/] inside the United States [/countries/united-states/] continues under separate procedures. If you hold a pending I-485 inside the United States, the overseas interview pause does not stop your case. If you hold an approved immigrant petition and wait for a consular interview abroad, the pause does affect your next appointment date. NEXT STEPS AFTER A CANCELLATION EMAIL * Keep every email from your embassy or consulate in one folder. * Do not discard your prior interview notice or DS-260 confirmation. * Watch for a new appointment message from your post. No central public calendar lists restart dates yet. * Confirm your contact email and phone remain current in the Consular Electronic Application Center profile. * Prepare civil documents, police certificates, and medical exam materials so you stand ready when a new date arrives. * Avoid booking nonrefundable travel until your post confirms a firm interview date in writing. Your post controls the reschedule. Reach out only through channels your embassy or consulate already published for immigrant visa units. Flooding general visa unit contact lines slows responses for everyone. PUBLIC CHARGE FACTORS OFFICERS REVIEW Updated public-charge screening asks whether you appear likely to rely on U.S. public benefits after entry. Officers weigh age. Officers weigh health. Officers weigh family size and household composition. Officers weigh finances and assets. Officers weigh education. Officers weigh skills and work history. Bring clear evidence on each factor when your interview returns. Strong financial sponsorship documents help. Recent employment letters help. Proof of education and licensed skills help. Medical records ready for review help. Organize packets by factor so the interviewing officer finds each item fast. SEPARATE FROM THE 75-COUNTRY COURT RULING A federal court on 21 August 2026 struck down a different State Department policy. The struck policy had suspended immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries. The present worldwide pause stems from public-charge training. The pause does not flow from the 75-country suspension. Treat the court case and the training pause as two distinct events. RELATED PUBLIC CHARGE DATES AHEAD DHS rescinded Biden-era public charge policy on 20 July 2026. USCIS released new public charge standards on 18 August 2026. New DHS public charge policy for adjustment of status takes effect on 18 September 2026 [/blog/state-department-restricts-visas-for-birth-tourism-facilitators-from-23-sep/]. Form I-485 filers inside the United States should track the 18 September date for the adjustment path. Overseas immigrant visa applicants should track training completion and new interview notices from their posts. Your next move depends on where your case sits. Abroad, wait for a replacement interview date and keep documents current. Inside the United States on Form I-485, follow USCIS public charge standards and the 18 September DHS rule for adjustment of status. Nonimmigrant applicants continue under normal visa appointment systems. MigrantIQ will watch for a public restart announcement from the State Department. Until then, treat canceled immigrant visa interview dates as postponed, keep your file complete, and respond quickly once your post sends a new appointment. Feedback WAS THIS ARTICLE HELPFUL? Your answer helps us improve guides and editorial priorities. YesNo Plan your next step with free tools Run the Move Planner or browse corridors — governments make every official decision. Open Move Planner → [/tools/planner/]Browse corridors [/move/] RELATED GUIDES * CANADA MOVES ASYLUM CLAIMS ONLINE WITH A 60-DAY DEADLINE FROM 3 NOVEMBER Canada's new asylum rules took effect on 3 November 2026. Every claim now runs through one online application, with 60 days to finish once you get a due date and a single 30-day extension. Miss a step and your claim goes to the IRB for abandonment. [/blog/canada-moves-asylum-claims-online-with-a-60-day-deadline-from-3-november/] * AUSTRALIA MAKES THE 407 TRAINING VISA OFFSHORE ONLY FROM 12 NOVEMBER 2026 From 12 November 2026, you must be outside Australia to apply for and receive a Training visa (subclass 407). Onshore applications become invalid. Here is what changes, who is affected, and what to do before the 11 November deadline. [/blog/australia-makes-the-407-training-visa-offshore-only-from-12-november-2026/] * ARMENIA MOVES RESIDENCE PERMITS ONLINE AND RAISES FEES FROM 1 NOVEMBER 2026 Armenia moves all residence applications to one online platform on 1 November 2026. Fees rise to AMD 150,000 and AMD 250,000, refused fees are kept, quotas arrive, and the 10-year special passport ends. [/blog/armenia-moves-residence-permits-online-and-raises-fees-from-1-november-2026/] * AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES WEB TRAVEL DECLARATION AT WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT FROM 26 OCTOBER Australia's web-based Australia Travel Declaration went live at Western Sydney International Airport on 26 October 2026. Here is who uses the form, the 72-hour window, and what you still need to declare. [/blog/australia-launches-web-travel-declaration-at-western-sydney-airport-from-26/] More on this topic Available inventoryBuy this ad spotReach people planning visas, moves, and settlement — before they pick a product or agent.Rectangle · 300×250View rates & book → [/advertise/?format=rectangle] RELATED GUIDES * Canada → United States corridor hub [/move/canada-to-united-states/] US immigrant visa pause [/blog/?tag=US%20immigrant%20visa%20pause]public charge screening [/blog/?tag=public%20charge%20screening]State Department training [/blog/?tag=State%20Department%20training]consular processing [/blog/?tag=consular%20processing]Form I-485 [/blog/?tag=Form%20I-485]Diversity Visa [/blog/?tag=Diversity%20Visa] ← All posts [/blog/]More in Policy Updates → [/blog/topics/policy-updates/] Summarize this page with AI Opens your assistant with a pre-filled prompt (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude). Gemini uses Google AI Mode. Ask AI ↗ Not affiliated with any AI platform. Always verify immigration rules on official government sites. ARTICLE FAQ IS THIS ARTICLE LEGAL OR IMMIGRATION ADVICE? No. MigrantIQ publishes general migration guidance for planning only. Confirm requirements with official government portals and regulated professionals before you apply or travel. HOW CURRENT IS THIS INFORMATION? Editorial content is reviewed on a rolling basis. This page was last updated November 8, 2026. Rules change — always verify fees, forms, and eligibility on official sites. Plan smarter Save countries, compare destinations, track visa checklists, and sync your migration plan across devices. 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