Immigrant Visa Pause Update, October 31, 2026: Accra's First Re-Interview Approval, What Warsaw Checked Before Saying Yes, and Paris Asks a CR1 for an I-134
Post by post
| Embassy | Status | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Accra | Approved | F4 refused in February told at its 29 Oct re-interview the visa will be issued |
| Warsaw | Issued | Pause-country F1 approved at re-interview, passport back next day; one other refused |
| Paris | No decision | CR1 first interview 27 Oct: 221(g) for an I-134 with assets and a health plan summary |
| Islamabad | No decision | IR1 issued 21 Oct still has no passport; a 2025 parent case shows expiring |
| Stockholm | Called back | Applicant who waited about 7.5 months given an interview date, described as expedited |
| Manila | No decision | F4 with a 30 July 221(g), documents and passport mailed, still Ready |
| Mumbai | No decision | Immigrant interviews still on hold for the training as of 30 October |
Day 71. A quieter Friday for dates, but two approvals at posts that had shown little, and a clearer picture of what a public-charge re-interview covers.
Accra reports its first re-interview approval
An F4 family case first interviewed at Accra in February and refused under the pause was emailed a new appointment in early October. At the 29 October re-interview the officer said she intends to issue, and the family is now booking passport pickup. The questions: where they will live, plans for work and education, and how the move will be paid for. CEAC moved once, from Refused to Ready. Plaintiff status was not stated. Until now Accra applicants had described the post as not moving at all.
What Warsaw checked before saying yes
A pause-country applicant in a family category, invited about a month ago, was approved at a Warsaw re-interview, had the passport back the next day and has already entered the US. The invitation listed no documents, but the officer went through the petitioner's income, assets, debts, tax returns and health insurance, then the applicant's savings, assets at home, debts and US insurance quotes, education, English, job plans and knowledge of the local job market, any condition needing prescription treatment, and dependants. Of two other re-interviews that morning one was refused. The applicant also saw people at their first interviews, which matches earlier reports that Warsaw has been holding them since early October. The full list is now in the re-interview guide.
Paris asks for an I-134 on top of two I-864s
A direct-filing CR1 interviewed at Paris on 27 October got a 221(g) asking for an I-134 from the petitioner listing assets, a summary of the cost and coverage of the employer health plan the spouse will join, and the employer's contact details. The petitioner's I-864 and a joint sponsor's were already on file. Documents went in on 29 October.
Still waiting
At Islamabad the IR1 issued on 21 October still has no passport and no dispatch message, while a parent case in administrative processing since a March 2025 interview now shows "interview cancelled" and "application expiring". A Manila F4 with a 30 July 221(g) mailed its documents and passport and still reads Ready. Mumbai's immigrant interviews remain on hold. Training details relayed second-hand this week say the course is in person, with visa-waiver posts first and the paused countries last; we have not seen it in an official notice. The pause status table is updated.
Work and visitor visas
A Hyderabad H-1B held for social media links on 22 October moved to Approved on 30 October. A J-1 in India cleared its social-media 221(g) in about three hours. A Warsaw visitor visa told it was approved on 19 October is in administrative processing and the passport was handed back for travel. Our 221(g) guide has the wait times we track.
Rules this week
No new official notice landed this week; these are the rules that stand, as of 31 October.
- November Visa Bulletin (in force from 1 Nov). Final action dates: EB-2 for most countries 1 April 2025; EB-3 India 22 January 2014; F2A 22 October 2026. EB-2 India holds at 1 November 2013. If your priority date is before the cut-off, NVC can act on your case from tomorrow.
- 75-country immigrant visa pause (blocked, partly stayed). Vacated on 21 August; on 19 October an appeals court stayed the part that sent individual refusals back for decision, and the finding against the pause still stands. The government's opening brief is due 18 December.
- $100,000 H-1B fee (blocked). Two courts have vacated the policy that collects it, and the government has appealed. No new ruling this week.
- Extensions judged as if new (proposed). USCIS would give no weight to its own earlier approval when deciding an extension. Comments close 13 November on regulations.gov.
- Public social media profile (in force since 1 Oct). Press (I), TN and TD applicants must set their profiles to public before the interview.