Trump administration pauses visa appointments worldwide as applicant screening tightened

The Trump administration directed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to reschedule immigrant visa interviews while consular officers complete training on new guidance on the likelihood an applicant will become a public charge. 

The move will temporarily stall applications that have reached the interview stage, Fox News reported. 

A public-charge determination means the person is likely to become dependent on certain forms of public assistance after arriving in the U.S., and the determination can make an immigrant visa applicant ineligible under federal immigration law. 

The State Department launched a global training initiative at all U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide in order to ensure evaulations of visa applicants are made "comprehensively and consistently," the agency said in a statement. 

For most diplomatic posts, the training is expected to take place this week, but the State Department didn't say when applicants impacted by the postponements will have their interview dates rescheduled.