Dominicans Await US Green Card Interviews
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · US IMMIGRATION
Key Facts
- What: US interviews for permanent-residence (immigrant) visas have been paused worldwide since late August 2026.
- Status: Still on hold on Thursday 5 November; the State Department has given no restart date.
- Why: Consular officers are being trained on how to judge whether an applicant may become a public charge.
- Not affected: Tourist and business visas are not part of the pause.
- Dominican link: The Dominican Republic is second only to Mexico in US immigrant visas processed.
Dominican families waiting to move to the United States are still stuck, because US green card interviews remain paused as of Thursday 5 November 2026. The pause covers immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates worldwide, including Santo Domingo, and began in late August.
It matters to American readers because many of the applicants are husbands, wives, parents and children of US citizens and residents. Each month of delay keeps a family apart and pushes back its move to the United States.
What the Green Card Interviews Pause Means
The US State Department, which runs American embassies and visas, told posts abroad in late August to stop and reschedule immigrant visa interviews. These visas let a person move to the United States as a permanent resident, often called a green card holder.
The department first signaled a short break, but more than two months later it has published no restart date. Embassies have not released a public calendar for rebooking the cancelled appointments.
Why Washington Paused the Interviews
The stated reason is training. Consular officers, the diplomats who decide visa cases, are being taught new instructions on the public charge rule.
Public charge is a legal test of whether a newcomer is likely to depend on government benefits. Officers can weigh age, health, family situation, income, education and job skills, along with the finances of the US sponsor.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
An immigrant visa is for people who will live permanently in the United States, usually through a relative or an employer. A tourist or business visa, known as a B1/B2 visa, is temporary and is not covered by the pause.
The National Visa Center is the State Department office that collects forms, fees and documents before the interview. A consulate is the visa office inside a US embassy or in another city.
Why the Dominican Republic Is Hit Hard
The US Embassy in Santo Domingo said in May 2026 that it had processed more than 54,000 immigrant visa applications. It described the Dominican Republic as second in the world for this kind of visa, behind Mexico.
That scale means a long pause leaves thousands of families waiting for the last step of a process that already takes years. Dominican families rely heavily on relatives in the United States, so a stalled interview often delays a whole household’s plans.
How This Fits the Wider US Visa Picture
The pause is separate from other US visa limits, such as those on Cubans in US Visa Curbs on Cubans Remain in Force. Other embassies reacted in August, as in Panama, where tourist visa appointments continued normally.
Our guide Moving to the Dominican Republic 2026, Visa to Residency covers the opposite route. It explains how foreigners settle in the Dominican Republic.
What It Means for You
If you are sponsoring a relative in the Dominican Republic, expect delays and keep your case file up to date. Check the case status on the official consular website and watch for emails from the embassy or the National Visa Center.
Do not pay anyone who promises a faster interview date, because only the embassy can schedule appointments. Travelers going to the Dominican Republic as tourists are not affected by the pause.
What Is Not Known
It is not known when interviews will restart in Santo Domingo, or whether the State Department will restart all posts together. No public count of Dominican applicants with cancelled interviews has been released.
It is also not known how the new public charge training will change approval rates once interviews resume. Applicants should treat any date from a third party as unconfirmed until the embassy sends official notice.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are US residency visa interviews paused?
Yes, interviews for immigrant visas have been paused worldwide since late August 2026. As of 5 November the State Department has given no restart date.
Does the pause affect tourist visas?
No, tourist and business visas, known as B1/B2 visas, are not part of the pause. Only permanent-residence visa interviews are on hold.
Why did the United States pause the interviews?
Consular officers are being trained on the public charge rule. It tests whether an applicant is likely to depend on government benefits.
What should Dominican applicants do now?
Watch for official emails from the embassy or the National Visa Center and check the case status online. Do not pay anyone who promises a faster appointment.
Sources: US Department of State, immigrant visa interview pause for public charge training, from late August 2026, status 5 November 2026; US Embassy in Santo Domingo, immigrant visa processing figures, May 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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