The Trump administration says it has begun training consular officers to identify immigrant visa applicants who may become dependent on US public benefits.The training is at the centre of the latest disruption to immigrant visa processing. The State Department has paused or rescheduled appointments at US embassies and consulates worldwide to allow officers to attend what it called “in-depth training”.Also Read| US pauses immigrant visa interviews worldwide: Who is affected and what happens next?What is the issue?US immigration law allows officials to assess whether a visa applicant is likely to become a “public charge”.In simple terms, this means checking whether an applicant may depend on government support for their living expenses after entering the US.The State Department said the training would help officers determine whether applicants are “likely to become a public charge” and whether they may become dependent on public benefits “reserved for qualified Americans in need”.Why does the US say training is needed?The State Department said it launched “a global training initiative” to ensure that consular officers evaluate every visa applicant “comprehensively and consistently”.This suggests the administration wants officers at US missions worldwide to apply the public charge standard in the same way.The department has not explained what new instructions officers have received or whether the training will change the way applications are assessed.Why has this caused concern?Immigrant visa applicants with scheduled interviews have received emails saying their appointments were cancelled or rescheduled. They have been told that new dates will be provided later.The applicants may already have spent money on travel, accommodation and legal assistance. Some may also have changed jobs or made family arrangements to attend their interviews.The disruption is more serious for applicants who must travel to their country of citizenship for processing. Under a policy introduced by the Trump administration last year, this requirement can apply even to people who legally live and work in the US.Who could face greater scrutiny?The training is relevant to immigrant visa applicants, including people seeking to move permanently to the US through family or other legal immigration routes.It could affect applicants whose financial circumstances raise questions about whether they may need government assistance after entering the US.However, the State Department has not released detailed criteria explaining how officers will make those decisions.Is this a new visa rule?The State Department has described the move as a training programme, not as a new visa category or a formal suspension of immigrant visa processing.But the training could influence how officers examine applications once interviews resume.The department has not said when appointments will restart or whether applicants will receive priority when new dates are assigned.What is the immediate impact?For now, the main impact is delay.Applicants may face:Cancelled or postponed interviewsAdditional travel and accommodation costsDelays in green card processingLonger separation from relatives in the USUncertainty over when their applications will move forwardThe issue has also added to wider concerns about the Trump administration’s increased scrutiny of legal immigration, including visas and green cards.