LONDON, August 26. /TASS/. The administration of US President Donald Trump has halted immigrant visa processing worldwide to train consular officers to screen applicants who may require government assistance, the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing sources.

The State Department launched a global training initiative to help consular officers assess applicants consistently and ensure visa applicants do not become a burden on society or rely on public benefits intended for Americans in need, a department representative told the newspaper.

According to the FT, immigrant visa applicants with scheduled interviews at US embassies and consulates received emails saying their appointments had been postponed and that they would receive new interview dates later. The State Department did not say when immigrant visa appointments would resume.

In January, the State Department suspended immigrant visa issuance for citizens of 75 countries, including Russia. Besides Russia, the list of countries subject to the restrictions included Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Georgia, Egypt, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Cuba, Syria and Uzbekistan.

As the US foreign policy agency previously told TASS, US authorities suspended immigrant visa processing to avoid admitting people who could later become a burden on the American people. Last week, a New York federal court overturned Trump’s ban on accepting immigrant visa applications from the 75 countries.