US embassy still issuing visas

DESPITE the financial shutdown of the US Government, the US Embassy in Port of Spain will continue to process US visa applications, according to embassy postings on social media.

The US embassy’s website contains a statement from last December that says: “The United States of America is currently in a Lapse of Appropriations period starting Saturday, December 22, 2018. “The Consular Section will be open for scheduled passport and visas services, and emergency services for US citizens.”

The statement said the embassy will not be updating this website regularly, except in the event of an emergency, but invited the public to follow updates on Twitter at @stateDept. The continuing shutdown of the US federal government began on December 22, when the US Congress and President Donald Trump could not agree on an appropriations bill to fund the operations of the federal government for the 2019 fiscal year, or a temporary resolution to extend the deadline to pass a bill.

The shutdown arose from a row over Trump’s call for US$5.6 billion in federal funds for a US-Mexico border wall, which was not approved by Congress.

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