Beginning April 9 2011, if a federal budget is not passed by Congress and accepted by the White House, a government shutdown may happen, which may have an impact on many government services including visa, tourism, immigration etc:
- Visa and passport services.
- National parks / zoos / museums or any other parks and facilities operated by the government can be closed or affected.
- Immigration services, including USCIS services.
- Washington, DC city has greater impact due to the fact that it has large number of museums, parks, and monuments.
In the event the shutdown lasts for more than few days, it may have adverse effect on visa, immigration, and passport services. People are advised to stay tuned for the latest news and be informed before making any travel plan. People who have visa, passport appointments during this time should confirm before making any travel arrangements.
Essential govt services like Air Traffic Control, Transportation Security (TSA), Law Enforcement , Border Protection, will continue uninterrupted. Travel to and from USA, and travel within USA is likely to continue uninterrupted.
Note
Keep checking the news.