Immigrant Visa Pause Update, November 1, 2026: London Interviews a Rebooked IR1, a San Salvador Case Escalated After 115 Days, and What Islamabad Expects at Third Interviews
Post by post
| Embassy | Status | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| London | No decision | IR1 cancelled for 16 Sept interviewed 27 Oct; employer letter accepted for insurance |
| San Salvador | No decision | Family case with a blue letter since 9 July escalated after a 29 Oct call |
| Islamabad | No decision | IR1 seen in Feb and April expects a third interview in November |
| New Delhi | Issued | B1/B2 approved 27 Oct on the fourth try; a family was refused 214(b) |
| Ottawa | Issued | Visitor visas for a family of Canadian permanent residents |
| Hyderabad | Issued | Interviewed 13 Oct, passport ready for pickup 15 Oct |
Day 72. A quiet weekend for dates. The news is one rebooked first interview at London and two cases at opposite ends of the wait.
London interviews an IR1 it cancelled in September
An IR1 whose 16 September interview was cancelled under the worldwide suspension was rebooked for 27 October and interviewed on that date. The officer asked about the relationship, finances, plans to work, and how the applicant would have health insurance. A letter from the petitioner's employer HR department, saying the spouse is covered from the day of arrival, was accepted. The outcome has not been posted yet. London emailed this new date in early October; an F2A cancelled for 9 September was interviewed on 23 October and issued, so rebooked first interviews there are going ahead. A London L-1 interviewed on 26 October was issued on the 28th, and another applicant interviewed on the 27th was issued the next afternoon.
San Salvador: 115 days and an escalation
A family-preference applicant interviewed at San Salvador on 9 July was told everything was in order and handed a blue administrative-processing letter. CEAC still reads Refused with no update since the interview day. A phone call to the embassy on 29 October ended with a promise to escalate the case. San Salvador is not a pause post, but callers have been told since last week that rescheduling has started; nobody has posted a new date yet.
Islamabad prepares for third interviews
An IR1 interviewed in February and again in April, both before the public-charge instructions, expects to be called a third time in November and has an insurance quote ready. The advice passed around: be ready to explain work plans, how health care will be obtained and paid for, and where you will live. If a relative owns the home and there is no lease, bring a notarised statement from the owner. The re-interview guide has the full list we have seen asked, now including the London insurance letter.
Still no first interviews
Applicants across the paused countries report that only second interviews are being scheduled. A widely shared explanation says the 60-day online training ended in late October and that each embassy must still be certified in person before new first interviews are booked. That is second-hand and we have not seen it in an official notice. The appeals court has not ruled on the full stay request. Per-post status is on the pause status page.
Work and visitor visas
New Delhi approved a B1/B2 on 27 October on the fourth attempt after three 214(b) refusals, while a family applying together for a family visit was refused under 214(b). Ottawa issued visitor visas to a family of Canadian permanent residents. A Hyderabad applicant interviewed 13 October had the passport ready on the 15th. Wait times by post are on our 221(g) tracker.