The Trump administration has paused all immigrant visa applications across the world. The move comes as the US State Department aims to tighten restrictions and limit access to applicants who may become dependent on US public benefits reserved for qualified Americans.
Quoting State Department officials, the media reports said, the US is training consular officers to evaluate such requests comprehensively and consistently.
The pause comes as the US has launched a crackdown against illegal immigration and also tightened rules governing the issuance of green cards. A day before, the Trump administration had proposed a new 1 lakh 3 thousand 2 hundred 65 US Dollar application fee for H-1B visas.