Immigrant Visa Pause Update, November 6, 2026: Kathmandu Issues an IR5 Parent Visa, Kingston Books Re-interviews for November 19-20, and Islamabad Asks for an I-864A

Day 77. A parent visa issued at Kathmandu, two new re-interview dates at Kingston, and a lesson from Islamabad on joint sponsors.

Kathmandu issues an IR5 to a parent over 60

A non-plaintiff IR5 mother first interviewed at Kathmandu on 29 January, and held in 221(g) under the pause, was emailed on 2 November to submit documents and re-interviewed the next day after a new medical. CEAC read Issued by 5 November; the passport pickup message has yet to come. The interview took about an hour, with more typing from the uploaded documents than questions. The officer asked where she will live, what health insurance she will have and who pays for it, whether she will work (a relative who owns a shop gave her a cashier job offer letter), how much money she will bring, and about her health and past operations. Most questions were about the sponsor. Older parents have worried that age alone would sink them under the public-charge review; this case suggests a strong sponsor file and an insurance plan can carry it.

Kingston books 19 and 20 November

Two applicants at Kingston now have re-interview dates: an IR2 first interviewed on 10 February for 19 November, and an IR1 first interviewed on 27 March for 20 November. Others were emailed this week to renew medicals and send passports. Applicants say the post is working through end-of-March and early-April first interviews, ahead of most posts, and one relays that about six re-interviewed applicants had visas within days.

Islamabad: joint sponsors in the same household need an I-864A

An IR1 first interviewed on 26 January was re-interviewed at Islamabad on 2 November. The officer asked for updated financial sponsorship and health insurance documents and said he could not see what had been uploaded to CEAC. Three days later an email asked for an I-864A, tax transcripts, W-2s and proof of status. The joint sponsor lives in the same household as the petitioner, which is when an I-864A is required alongside the sponsor's own I-864. Two lessons: check household rules for every sponsor, and bring paper copies of everything uploaded.

Form replies at Manila, Amman and San Salvador

A senator's third inquiry to Manila on a K-1 got the same reply on 5 November as the first: the global training initiative, appointments being adjusted, an email when a date is available. Applicants report identical wording from Manila on a spouse case and from Madrid. Manila F4 and other immigrant cases in 221(g) report no movement, some with medicals expiring this month. At Amman, applicants report no immigrant rescheduling since the pause was lifted; commenters relay staffing cuts tied to the regional conflict, unverified. At San Salvador, a congressional office's repeated expedite requests got only a promise of an appointment when one is available. At Stockholm, two applicants documentarily qualified in early April are said to have interview letters (second-hand).

H-1B, J-1 and social media checks

At Hyderabad a J-1 student handed a 221(g) with nothing requested on 2 November read Approved a day later and had the passport back on 5 November. An H-1B given a social media 221(g) there on 13 October went from Refused to Administrative Processing and back to Refused on 5 November. At Chennai, an H-1B with a social media 221(g) from 30 October has had no email in a week; others say to email the profile links without waiting to be asked.

Status by embassy: immigrant visa pause status. What second interviews ask and which documents worked: public charge re-interview guide.