The US government has been shut down for the first time in seven years. Due to this federal bandh, the functioning of many government agencies has been affected and various services, including passports and visa services, are expected to be delayed.
Impact on American services in India
Although the shutdown has become effective, India-based American Embassy has clarified that passports and American visa services, including categories such as tourist (travel) visas, commercial visas and H1-B visas, will continue as before.
The embassy issued a statement on the social media platform X, saying, “At this time, passports and visa services set in US embassies and consulates in the United States and abroad will continue according to the situation, during the lack of funding. We will not update this account until the complete operation starts, except for immediate security information. Nevertheless, applicants should expect a slight delay in the process as the shutdown may reduce the number of staff.
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…
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) October 1, 2025
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What does shutdown mean?
During the government bandh, all non-essential federal services are stopped and the concerned employees are kept on the leave without pay leave (furls) until the Congress agrees on the budget and expense.
However, employees whose job is considered necessary for life and property safety, they have to keep working without salary until the shutdown ends. These employees fall in the ‘necessary’ category.
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Why was a shutdown?
The US government’s shutdown expenditure bill was due to lack of agreement between Republican and Democrats on the bill.
Despite being in majority in the then President Donald Trump’s Republican Party Congress, she could not gain support for 60 votes required in the Senate, where Democrats still dominated. Both parties were in deadlock with healthcare expenses, as Democrats were not willing to support a bill that would, according to them, would have become healthcare and expensive for Americans.
The last time the US government was shutdown during the first term of Donald Trump in 2018, which lasted for about 35 days, and this is the longest period of the government in the history of the United States.