What is a U.S. Government Shutdown?
- Murtaz Navsariwala
- Oct 3
- 3 min read
Imagine having all your documents ready, your relocation plans in place, and suddenly you see the news: the U.S. government has entered a shutdown. Does that put your visa process at risk?
This is a common concern among those preparing to legally immigrate to the United States.
In this article, we’ll explain what a shutdown is, what actually happens during one, and how it may or may not impact those applying for a visa. Read until the end!
Table o Content
What is a government shutdown?
A shutdown occurs when Congress fails to approve the federal budget or pass funding resolutions for government agencies. Without this approval, many public services shut down or operate with minimal resources until the situation is resolved.
Essential services - such as public safety, border control, and emergency medical care - continue to function. However, other areas, especially those relying exclusively on federal funding, go into standby mode, suspending operations and placing staff on furlough.
How does it affect visa applications?
In principle, a shutdown does not affect visa applications or immigration processes. That’s because both USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) and consular services operate on fees paid by applicants - not on direct federal funding.
In other words, these services are self-funded and generally continue as normal. Forms, application reviews, interview scheduling, and visa issuance remain active even during a government shutdown.
That said, if a shutdown lasts for an extended period, there may be indirect impacts on processes that rely on other government agencies. A recent example is the 2018–2019 shutdown - the longest in U.S. history - during which systems like E-Verify were suspended, and applications requiring Department of Labor certifications (such as LCAs and PERM) experienced delays. Still, fee-funded applications continued to be processed.
If your immigration process is currently underway, there is no reason to worry at this time. The current scenario does not suggest a halt in immigration services funded by application fees. The most important thing is to understand what stage your case is in and whether it relies on any agency affected by the shutdown.
At Murtaz Law, we closely monitor all political and operational developments to keep our clients informed and supported.
If you have questions about your case or want to understand how this scenario might impact your plans, click here to contact us. We'll assess your situation and guide you with clarity, professionalism, and peace of mind.
About Murtaz Law
With more than a decade of experience, we take pride in guiding families and individuals on their journey to legally immigrate to the USA, whether temporarily or permanently.
Our success story spans a variety of cases, including temporary immigration, family reunification, naturalization, and especially, work visas like the EB2-NIW, which leads to the Green Card. Over the years, we have built a solid reputation and become a reference for skilled professionals, artists, and elite athletes who wish to expand their careers or undertake ventures in the USA.
Our 99.5% approval rate in cases demonstrates our commitment to a personalized approach, combining ethics, creativity, and deep knowledge of the laws and economic issues. We recognize that each client has a unique story and work side by side, individually, to create tailored strategies that achieve the desired outcomes. We take the importance of our work in our clients' lives seriously. Your future deserves a unique strategy, and we at Murtaz Law have the experience and expertise to meet your immigration needs.