US halts visa appointments globally amid Donald Trump's immigration crackdown - The Times of India

**U.S. Consular Services Suspend All Visa Appointments Worldwide** The State Department announced on Monday that all U.S. embassies and consulates have been instructed to pause processing of visa appointments for applicants worldwide. The directive, issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs, applies to both immigrant and non‑immigrant categories, effectively putting on hold new visa interviews for families, students, workers and tourists. Consular officers were told to notify applicants that their cases are “temporarily on hold pending further guidance,” and to refrain from scheduling any new appointments until the moratorium is lifted.

The move comes amid a broader immigration crackdown championed by President Donald Trump, who has framed tighter controls as essential for national security and the integrity of the visa system. Over the past year, the administration has rolled out a series of restrictive measures—including expanded travel bans, lowered refugee caps and heightened scrutiny of work‑visa petitions—to curb what it describes as “unlawful migration and fraud.” Officials in the State Department said the current pause is intended to give the government time to “review and strengthen vetting procedures” and to address a surge in backlogged applications that they allege contain incomplete or falsified documentation.

Foreign governments and industry groups have expressed concern over the abrupt suspension, warning that it could disrupt academic exchanges, multinational business operations and family reunifications. The European Union’s diplomatic service urged Washington to provide a clear timeline, while several Asian and African ministries warned of “significant economic and humanitarian repercussions.” As the United States faces mounting pressure from allies and domestic stakeholders, analysts say the pause may be short‑lived, but its immediate impact on millions of visa seekers is already being felt.