The United States has restarted the processing of immigrant visa applications in Hungary and Poland. This decision comes amidst a broader pause on immigrant visa appointments in other regions, as reported by Reuters, which cited four sources familiar with the situation.
The development comes after the Trump administration introduced sweeping measures aimed at restricting both illegal and legal migration.
The White House directed US missions in the two European countries to prioritize immigrant visa processing last week, according to the Reuters. The reason for the decision was not immediately clear. The decision to resume processing in Hungary and Poland comes against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s close political ties with leaders and nationalist movements in both countries.
A federal judge later struck down that policy on August 21, ruling that it was unlawful. The United States issued about 600,000 immigrant visas in 2024, according to Reuters. Trump has publicly supported Hungary’s former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who lost an April election, as well as Poland’s nationalist President Karol Nawrocki, whose election has brought him into conflict with centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government, Reuters reported.
Following the ruling, however, the State Department instructed US missions around the world to cancel or reschedule immigrant visa appointments while staff underwent new training. Immigrant visas are issued to people seeking to move permanently to the US , including relatives of American citizens and lawful permanent residents.
