August 27, 2026
The United States has temporarily paused immigrant visa appointments at embassies and consulates worldwide as the State Department carries out additional training for consular officers, Reuters reported.
The measure affects immigrant visa interview appointments and should not be interpreted as a blanket suspension of all U.S. visas or tourist visas.
According to Reuters, the State Department linked the pause to training aimed at strengthening and standardising screening procedures. Existing appointments are being rescheduled, while no clear date for the full resumption of appointments had been announced in the reporting available at the time of publication.
For applicants in Thailand, the practical implication is that people pursuing U.S. immigrant visas may face delays or changes to interview schedules.
The U.S. State Department separately maintains different procedures for immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. Its current visa guidance also requires immigrant visa applicants, with limited exceptions, to interview in the consular district for their place of residence or country of nationality.
Applicants should therefore rely on direct instructions from the U.S. Embassy or their official case channel rather than assuming that the pause applies to every category of travel to the United States.
Vihok News
Vihok News Sources: Reuters; U.S. Department of State visa guidance.
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