By Sydney Elike

Copyright thesun

The United States Embassy has revealed that visa and passport services will continue despite the partial shutdown of the government.

Amid concerns that the shutdown in Washington could bring visa processing, student travel plans, and other consular services to a halt, members of the public have been assured that it will not be the case.

Speaking via its official X handle on Wednesday, the embassy said, “Due to the lapse in appropriations, this X account will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information.

“At this time, scheduled passport and visa transit services in the United States and at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits.”

The statement added that updates on social media will no longer be regular until government funding is restored, with the exception being for urgent safety and security information.

The US government shutdown stems from an impasse between the Republicans and the Democrats over the passing of a bill funding government services into October and beyond.

While the Republicans have control in both chambers of Congress, in the Senate, they are short of the 60 votes needed to pass a spending bill.

Wednesday’s shutdown officially became the country’s first in almost seven years.