According to internal documents obtained by CNN and other stores, the Trump administration is considering a radical restructuring of the U.S. State Department, which could lead to the closure of US embassies and around 30 embassies and consulates overseas. Although not yet confirmed, the proposal marks one of the most important rollbacks of our diplomatic presence in modern history, with potentially serious consequences for immigrants, visa owners and US citizens living abroad.
What is being proposed?
State Department documents recommend closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates, including posts across France, Germany, South Korea, the UK, Africa and the Caribbean. The closure is part of a larger plan to “resize” and restructure departments, reduce staffing, reduce budgets and integrate diplomatic functions in less places.
Other recommendations are:
It will eliminate the African Issues Agency and replace it with a small office that focuses on limited priorities such as counter-terrorism and resource extraction. To support those in line with the President's foreign policy, we will close foreign services exams and change jobs. Reduce refugees, climate and human rights offices. Dramatically scales diversity fellowship programs such as Pickering and Lingel Fellowships. It cuts the department's budget by almost 50% and offers acquisitions to staff.
How does this affect visa and green card applicants?
Longer Waitings and More Travel: US Embassies and Consulates are the main locations where individuals apply for immigrant and non-immigrant visas. If the embassy is closed, applicants may be forced to attend visa interviews or travel to neighboring countries to receive consular services. This could mean significant delays, additional travel costs and increased stress, especially for people in areas where US missions are not already being served.
Reduced bookings and increased backlog: Lower staffing and integrated services have led to fewer visa reservations available, longer processing times and limited consular support. This affects employment-based categories, particularly those requiring family-based immigration, fiancé visas, student visas, and in-person interviews abroad.
Limited support for emergencies: US citizens and green cardholders rely on embassies for help with loss of passports, medical emergencies, arrests and evacuation. Fewer front posts could potentially weaken the safety net for Americans overseas, and could complicate support in crisis situations.
What about naturalization and citizenship services?
Although US citizenship applications (naturalization) are primarily processed within the United States, embassies and consulates play the following important roles:
Closing consulates will make these services difficult for foreign American citizens to access these services, particularly remotely.
What happens next?
At this point, the proposed closure and restructuring is still under review and has not been officially adopted. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has not confirmed the plan and has called “fake news” “fake news” in a brief social media post. The White House is also distanced from the proposal, but the Deputy Executive Secretary reportedly wants the changes to take effect by October 1st.
Many of the proposed changes, including embassy closures and staff layoffs, require legislative approval and could face legal challenges. Lawmakers on both parties have already expressed concern and say the move could undermine US diplomacy and national security.
Conclusion
If implemented, the proposed cuts significantly restrict access to US consul services around the world. Currently, anyone planning to apply for a visa, green card or US citizenship service abroad should closely monitor development in case consular access is more restricted in the near future.
