An important news has come out for Indians preparing to go to America. The Donald Trump administration has started making changes to visa appointments around the world. Due to this, the plans of applicants who have already received the interview date may be affected. This may affect applicants from countries like India.
According to Reuters, the US State Department has started a global training program in all US embassies and consulates. Due to this, visa appointments will be changed or extended. The department has not yet told how long the training will last. According to US officials, the purpose of the training is to prepare consular officers to better screen visa applicants. Emphasis will also be laid on identifying such people who are likely to be dependent on government facilities.
Why is the Trump administration being strict on immigration?
The change in visa appointments has come at a time when the Trump administration has taken several tough steps regarding immigration. These include canceling visas and green cards and stopping some applications on various grounds. According to Reuters report, in recent cases, political views and participation in pro-Palestine demonstrations have also been made grounds for rejecting applications. The Trump administration says that the purpose of these steps is to strengthen America’s domestic security.
What will be the impact on Indian applicants?
Indians who have already scheduled immigrant or non-immigrant visa interviews may have their appointments canceled or rescheduled. There is no clear information yet regarding how much time it will take to get the new date. This may cause problems for those going to America for job, studies, family or permanent residence. Indians may also face delays in the process of getting a green card or permanent visa. At present the government has not given any definite time limit for this change.
American court raised questions on the policy
The immigration policies of the Trump administration are also being challenged in the court. According to the Washington Post, on Friday an American judge canceled the policy banning immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries. The court acknowledged that this decision was beyond the legal jurisdiction of Foreign Minister Marco Rubio.
The policy implemented earlier had an impact on applicants from many countries of Africa, Middle East and Caribbean including Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Now those whose interviews were scheduled are being informed about change of appointment and the new date will be informed later.