Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 1: Despite a government shutdown unfolding in Washington, the U.S. Embassy in India has assured applicants that visa and passport services will continue for the time being.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, the embassy said:
“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 message directed users to the official U.S. State Department website for up-to-date information on services and consulate operations.
This clarification comes amid widespread confusion as the U.S. federal government shut down after lawmakers failed to pass a funding bill. The budget impasse has frozen funding for several departments, with many federal operations expected to scale down or halt entirely.
Partisan Gridlock in Washington
On Tuesday, Senate Democrats blocked a Republican-backed spending proposal. Despite a meeting between Democratic leaders and former President Donald Trump a day earlier, no agreement was reached. Shortly afterward, Trump posted an AI-generated video on Truth Social mocking top Democratic figures, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Trump continued his criticism of the opposition on Tuesday, stating, “I didn’t see them bend even a little bit.” He further hinted at potential layoffs during the shutdown, saying, “When you shut it down, you have to do layoffs. We'd be laying off a lot of people.”
At the heart of the standoff is a Republican spending bill dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which Democrats oppose due to proposed healthcare cuts. Democrats are demanding the reversal of those cuts, while Republicans have offered to extend government funding through November 21 — a proposal that still fell short of the required 60 Senate votes.
What the Shutdown Means
This is the first U.S. government shutdown in seven years, following the historic 35-day shutdown during Trump’s previous term — the longest in American history.
While essential services such as border security, law enforcement, and air traffic control are expected to operate normally, others will face significant disruptions. Programs like food assistance, government-funded pre-schools, food inspections, and operations at national parks could be hit the hardest.
As of now, overseas U.S. missions — including those in India — remain operational for visa and passport services, but officials caution that this could change if the shutdown persists.