If you thought immigration delays were bad before, Trump’s latest move has made them unbearable. The new “One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations” executive order, signed on February 12, 2025, is shaking up the system as people share their experiences.
The order gives the Secretary of State ultimate power to enforce the President’s foreign policy. That has led to stricter immigration rules, making life harder for families, especially the ones filing for Green Cards for their spouses.
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Now, interviews are required for all cases, with no exception, which is creating massive backlogs. USCIS also announced a hiring freeze on February 14, ensuring no extra staff to handle the delays and extra pressure this rule will put on the system.
As if that wasn’t enough, visa interview waivers were tightened on February 18. Skipping an in-person interview has become nearly impossible.
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People share that processing times have now stretched to 17 to 23 months. Some couples are trying for tourist visas to bring spouses sooner but approvals are rare, making this a risky option.
Others are looking at K-3 visas, hoping for faster results. However, with the current system in chaos, there’s no guarantee of success.
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Trump doesn’t seem much bothered with all these issues. The government is not only ignoring the immigrants’ issues but now they are going out of their way to make sure applicants are subjected to more bureaucratic horror.
