US Embassy in India issues important updates on issuance of visas, passports amid US govt shutdown

 

The US Embassy in India has assured applicants that passport and visa services will continue despite the government shutdown now underway in Washington.

“At this time, scheduled passport and visa services in the United States and at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits. We will not update this account until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information,” the embassy said in a post on X. It directed users to travel.state.gov for service updates.

The announcement comes as the US government entered its first shutdown in six years after the Senate failed to pass a stopgap funding bill on Tuesday night. The 55–45 vote left little chance of keeping agencies open past midnight, and the shutdown clock ran out at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

President Donald Trump immediately sharpened the standoff, warning of job cuts. “We’ll be laying off a lot of people. They’re going to be Democrats,” he told reporters ahead of the vote.

Historic disruption

The shutdown, the 15th since 1981, is projected to cost the government $400 million each day and has forced furlough notices for 750,000 federal employees. It has also suspended the release of the September employment report, delayed scientific research, and closed Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo. Air traffic controllers, border agents, and military personnel remain on duty but unpaid.

Agencies across Washington have rolled out contingency plans: the Education Department will furlough nearly 90% of its staff, the EPA will halt pollution cleanup, and the Small Business Administration will stop issuing loans.

Fight over health care

The impasse centres on $1.7 trillion in agency funding. Democrats have demanded that subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, due to expire at year’s end, be included in the short-term bill. Republicans argue the matter should be handled separately.

“It does nothing, absolutely nothing to solve the biggest health care crisis in America,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said of the Republican proposal. He accused Trump of blocking compromise: “It’s only the president who can do this. We know he runs the show here.”

Republicans, meanwhile, have pinned responsibility on Democrats. “The far left’s determination to oppose everything President Trump has said or done is not a good reason to subject the American people to the pain of a government shutdown,” said Senate Republican leader John Thune.

With no sign of a breakthrough, the deadlock leaves federal workers, services, and global partners waiting for clarity — even as US embassies pledge to keep their consular windows open.