The United States Department of State confirmed this Wednesday the temporary suspension of all appointments for the processing of immigrant visas at embassies and consulates worldwide, a measure reported earlier by the Financial Times and later confirmed by Reuters.
A spokesperson for the State Department attributed the pause to a massive training of consular officials at all diplomatic missions across the country.
“A global training initiative has been launched in all U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, and visa appointment schedules will be adjusted to accommodate this training,” said the spokesperson.
The stated objective is to train officials to identify and dismiss applicants who are likely to become dependent on U.S. public benefits — the criterion known as “public charge” — and to ensure “thorough and consistent” evaluations.
The State Department did not specify the content of the training or when it will conclude.
Applicants with interviews already scheduled should receive emails informing them that their appointments are being rescheduled without an immediate new date.
As of the closing of this note, the U.S. Embassy in Havana has not publicly commented on the temporary suspension of visa appointments.
New restriction after a judicial setback for the Trump administration
The measure comes just days after a significant setback for the Trump administration.
Last Friday, a federal court overturned the suspension of immigrant visas that the government had imposed since January 21, 2026, on citizens from 75 countries, including Cuba.
The federal judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York characterized that prohibition as "patently illegal" in a 61-page ruling, determining that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had overstepped his legal authority.
His verdict was unequivocal: "The outcome is predetermined. The visa will be denied."
The ruling overturned all denials based solely on that policy, which could lead to the review of thousands of applications.
Both parties have until September 11 to propose how to resolve the remaining aspects of the case, while the administration retains the option to appeal.
The measure adds to the tightening of Trump’s immigration policy
The new pause is part of the aggressive immigration campaign of President Donald Trump's second term, which has combined mass deportations, visa revocations, and tightening of requirements for regular immigration.
Since the beginning of this administration, it has revoked approximately 175,000 visas for various reasons, including criminal convictions and threats to national security.
Meanwhile, the government is preparing what could be the largest mass visa revocation in the country's history: the cancellation of B1 and B2 visas for up to 200,000 foreigners who applied for asylum in the United States between 2016 and 2026.
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