Last week, the State Department announced that it’s pausing the processing of immigrant visas and new permanent resident applications from 75 countries.
The impact: The pause is not intended to affect anyone who is already in the United States with a valid status, a visa issued prior to the pause, a student or tourist visa, or a diplomatic/humanitarian exemption.
- It also won’t affect anyone currently seeking a non-immigrant visa, such as a temporary tourist, student, or business visa.
- The pause is effective January 21.
Background: This comes after the Trump administration proposed limiting visa terms and changing fees for certain visa applications.
The CAP previously joined other medical organizations in calling for a fair and efficient immigration process that provides a clear pathway for international physicians.
- We will continue to monitor the new policy’s effect on visas for international medical graduates.