US Embassies instructed by Trump to reduce staff: BIG Visa Delays Coming!!!

In this video attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses a new executive order signed by President Trump called “One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations,” instructing U.S. Consulates and Embassies worldwide to start laying off visa officers and local employees.

How will this impact those currently going through the non-immigrant or immigrant visa process?

What about employees inside and outside of the U.S. who need to visit a U.S. Consulate or Embassy for visa stamping?

Learn everything you need to know about this executive order in this video.

Overview

“One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations,” is a new executive order signed by the President that calls for major reforms of the Foreign Service, including U.S. Embassies and Consulates.

Specifically, the executive order calls for changes to recruiting, performance, evaluation, and retention standards, and the programs of the Foreign Service Institute, “to ensure a workforce that is committed to faithful implementation of the President’s foreign policy.”

In implementing the reforms, the order directs the Secretary of State to revise or replace the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) used by Consular officers when deciding whether to issue U.S. visas, and directs subordinate agencies to remove, amend, or replace any handbooks, procedures, or guidance used for issuing visas.

The impact of this executive order will be the reduction of visa staff and local employees working at U.S. Embassies and Consulates responsible for issuing visas.

This means that both immigrant and non-immigrant visa applicants will experience longer wait times to be scheduled for a visa interview, visa backlogs will increase, and there will be appointment shortages due to the high demand for visa services and limited staff.

Visa applicants must act quickly to attend their visa interviews before these policies become fully implemented.

Who will be impacted:

Regular visa applicants: Those applying for non-immigrant visa types such as a student visa, tourist visa, or work visa will be impacted.
Family-Based Immigration: Immigrant visa applicants such as family members of U.S. Citizens and legal permanent residents will also be impacted. A reduction in staff members will mean longer wait times for interviews and growing backlogs. Those who are eligible may consider applying for expedited processing of their cases.
Work Visa applicants: Non-immigrant work visa applicants will also be impacted such as H-1B, O-1, and L-1 workers. Work visa applicants should expect delays in visa processing, increased security and vetting, and reduction of interview waivers.
U.S. Citizens residing abroad: Expect delays in passport renewals, slowdown of visa processing, and delays in the issuance of birth certificates for children. Plan ahead and obtain these services as soon as possible.
U.S. Businesses and Employers: U.S. companies petitioning for workers will experience longer processing delays and fewer visa approvals, causing workplace disruptions for global companies. Employers should strategize with their immigration attorneys to minimize delays and establish a plan of action for their employees.

Additionally, these reforms will make the visa application process a lot tougher. Consular visa officers will be forced to follow new handbooks, procedures, and regulations that will lead to closer scrutiny of applications to ensure visas are issued only to those who are clearly eligible.

Closer scrutiny may also lead to a further slowdown of visa processing, if visa officers are called to inspect an applicant’s background more thoroughly than before.

Call to Action

Those who are stuck waiting for visa interviews at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy may consider expediting their visa application, if there are grounds to do so, such as an urgent situation or compelling emergency.

Alternative actions you may consider taking may include filing a mandamus lawsuit in federal court to compel the Consulate to take action on your case or contacting a U.S. Congressman for assistance.

For those who have not yet applied for visas, it is important to take action as soon as possible.

Those who are lucky enough to be scheduled for an interview must be well prepared for their interview and bring thorough documentation to prove they qualify for the visa they are seeking. Being well prepared will increase the likelihood that your visa will be approved.

Finally, stay informed. Having the latest immigration updates will help you understand how you can reduce delays in your visa application.

Contact Us. If you need assistance with your immigration matter, please text 619-483-4549 or call 619-819-9204.

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