US Cancels All Scheduled Visa Interviews with Applicants, Gives Reason for Pausing Immigrant Visas
- The US government cancelled all previously scheduled immigrant visa interviews following a broader pause on immigrant visa processing
- Applicants who already had interview dates received emails informing them their appointments were scrapped and new dates would be communicated later
- Agency officials linked the pause to concerns about visa applicants potentially relying on US public benefits
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The United States government has cancelled all scheduled immigrant visa interviews after putting a hold on immigrant visa processing, the Financial Times reported.
Applicants who had already received confirmed interview dates were sent emails notifying them that their appointments had been scrapped.
Source: Getty Images
The correspondence told them they would receive new dates and times at a later stage, though no specific timeline was given.
Why the US paused immigrant visas
Accordign to Guardian UK, officials from the relevant US agencies said the pause was aimed at making sure that visa applicants would not end up depending on American public benefits after entering the country. The move is part of a broader set of measures the Trump administration has introduced to tighten control over who can lawfully enter the United States.
The cancellations affect both applicants who had been waiting a long time for their interview slots and those who had recently received confirmed dates, creating fresh uncertainty for thousands of people in the immigration pipeline.
Part of a wider immigration crackdown
The interview cancellations are one of several steps the Trump administration has taken to reshape the US immigration system. The broader strategy targets both documented and undocumented immigration, with the goal of making entry into the country more selective.
The pause on immigrant visas and the scrapping of interviews represent a significant disruption for applicants who had already invested time and resources into their applications, including gathering documentation and in some cases travelling to attend scheduled appointments.
No date has been announced for when the visa interview process will resume or when affected applicants can expect to receive rescheduled appointments.
Source: Getty Images
US embassy in Nigeria suspends routine visa services
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced a suspension of all routine nonimmigrant visa services, covering tourist, business, and petition-based nonimmigrant visas.
The embassy made this known through its official X account on Monday, August 18, 2026, describing the move as a "realignment" of visa services. No specific timeline for when normal services would resume was provided in the post.
According to the embassy, the realignment covers all routine nonimmigrant visa services without exception. This includes tourist and business-related visas, as well as petition-based nonimmigrant visas, which are typically used by people seeking to work or carry out specialised activities in the United States.
Source: Legit.ng
