US resumes immigrant visa processing for Hungary and Poland.
Because the US had initially announced a suspension affecting nationals of 75 countries in January 2026, the development is particularly significant.
The State Department said the policy was aimed at applicants it considered at high risk of becoming a “public charge” — meaning someone dependent on public benefits in the US. The latest move has raised questions about why Hungary and Poland have been allowed to resume processing while applicants elsewhere remain in limbo.
The selective restart comes after the Trump administration earlier halted immigrant visa processing on a much broader scale.
On August 21, a federal judge ruled against it, finding the policy unlawful. Because officers must complete self-training and then receive certification, the training requirements could keep some missions affected for months. Instead, the State Department introduced a new training programme for consular officers on how to assess whether applicants could financially support themselves in the US.
The White House directed US missions in Hungary and Poland to prioritise immigrant visa processing, according to Reuters. The State Department has not said when the wider processing disruption will end. The US government has not publicly explained why the two countries were singled out. However, that January policy was later challenged in court. The department then temporarily paused immigrant visa interviews globally while officers were trained under the new system.