New Delhi, Oct 1 (NationPress) The US Embassy in India has confirmed that both passport and visa services will remain operational despite the ongoing government shutdown in Washington.

In a recent statement posted on the social media platform X, the US Embassy in India indicated, "Currently, scheduled passport and visa services in the United States and at US Embassies and Consulates globally will persist during the lapse in appropriations as conditions allow. We will refrain from updating this account until full operations resume, aside from urgent safety and security updates. For further information regarding our services and operational status, please visit http://travel.state.gov."

This announcement comes in light of the shutdown that has ensued due to Congress's failure to reach a consensus on a funding bill. Consequently, funding for various US government departments is set to be slashed, leading to the suspension of numerous federal services.

On Tuesday, Democrats obstructed the Republicans' attempts to pass the spending bill in the Senate. Democratic leaders convened with US President Donald Trump on Monday but failed to reach an agreement. Following the meeting, Trump shared an AI-generated video on Truth Social, poking fun at House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

On Tuesday, Trump continued to place the blame on Democrats, claiming he "didn't see them bend even a little bit." He also warned of potential layoffs during the shutdown, stating, "When you shut it down, you have to do layoffs; we’d be laying off a lot of people."

Democrats are insisting on reversing the healthcare cuts in the "Big Beautiful Bill," which was passed earlier this year. The Republicans have firmly stated their refusal to concede to the Democrats' demands and proposed extending funding until November 21.

Despite holding a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, Republicans find themselves seven votes short in the Senate, as the funding bill requires 60 votes to pass. This marks the first US government shutdown in seven years, the last occurring under Trump 1.0, lasting for 35 days—the longest in history.

While essential services such as border protection, law enforcement, and air traffic control will continue to operate, programs like food assistance, government-funded preschool, food inspections, and operations at national parks may face significant disruptions.