US immigrant visa pause: Trump administration resumes processing for Hungary, Poland as wider freeze continues elsewhere

The United States has resumed processing immigrant visa applications in Hungary and Poland while a broader pause on immigrant visa appointments remains in place elsewhere, Reuters reported, citing four people familiar with the matter.US resumes immigrant visa processing for Hungary, Poland as wider pause continues. (AFP)According to the Reuters, the White House directed US missions in the two European countries to prioritize immigrant visa processing last week. The reason for the decision was not immediately clear.The development comes after the Trump administration introduced sweeping measures aimed at restricting both illegal and legal migration.Why Hungary and Poland were singled outThe decision to resume processing in Hungary and Poland comes against the backdrop of President Donald Trump's close political ties with leaders and nationalist movements in both countries.Trump has publicly supported Hungary's former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who lost an April election, as well as Poland's nationalist President Karol Nawrocki, whose election has brought him into conflict with centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government, Reuters reported.ALSO READ: US freezes Cognizant Green Card filings as Trump administration puts employment-based immigration under fresh scrutinyThe White House referred questions about the decision to the State Department. A State Department spokesperson did not explain why immigrant visa processing had resumed in the two countries.Officials in Hungary and Poland also did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.Wider immigrant visa pause remainsThe US State Department had temporarily suspended immigrant visa processing in 75 countries in January, saying applicants in those countries were considered at high risk of becoming a “public charge.”A federal judge later struck down that policy on August 21, ruling that it was unlawful. Following the ruling, however, the State Department instructed US missions around the world to cancel or reschedule immigrant visa appointments while staff underwent new training.The department said the training was designed to help consular officers assess whether applicants could support themselves in the United States without relying on public benefits.The State Department told a court that interviews would be suspended only through August 31. But Reuters reported that the wider disruption could continue for months because each US mission must complete the training and have a consular officer certified on the new procedures.ALSO READ: H-1B crackdown: US to tighten scrutiny as workers hired after programmers found doing higher-paid jobsImpact on applicants worldwideThe uncertainty extends well beyond Europe. Reuters reported that people in countries including India, Peru and the United Kingdom have posted online about immigrant visa appointments being cancelled through September.Immigrant visas are issued to people seeking to move permanently to the US, including relatives of American citizens and lawful permanent residents. The United States issued about 600,000 immigrant visas in 2024, according to Reuters.The latest development means Hungary and Poland have effectively moved ahead of applicants in many other countries as the State Department works through the consequences of the court ruling and implements its new vetting procedures.For applicants still facing cancelled or delayed appointments, the timeline remains uncertain. As per the report, the new training program could keep the broader pause in place for months, even though the administration's original court filing indicated a shorter suspension.