The United States State Department declared Wednesday that it will temporarily stop processing immigrant visa applications from nationals of 75 countries. This decision is based on policies introduced during the Trump administration targeting individuals presumed likely to require public benefits once admitted to the US. Included in the list are countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, and Somalia.
Furthermore, the department, currently overseen by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, instructed consular officers to cease reviewing immigrant visa petitions originating from these designated countries per a November directive. This mandate intensifies the scrutiny of visa applicants to ensure they are unlikely to become "public charges" after entry.
The suspension is scheduled to commence on January 21 and exclusively pertains to immigrant visa processing. Applicants seeking temporary non-immigrant visas, including tourist or business visas—which represent the majority of visa requests—will not be affected by this halt. Notably, non-immigrant visa demand is expected to rise substantially in the forthcoming years due to the United States preparing to host or co-host major international sporting events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.
In a statement, officials emphasized that this measure aims to "end the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people." The department clarified that immigrant visa processing from the identified countries will pause as they reassess immigration procedures to block entry to foreign nationals projected to depend on government welfare and public benefits.
Since the Trump administration took office, visa processing for immigrant and non-immigrant applicants from multiple nations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America has been significantly curtailed. The foundation for Wednesday’s suspension is a November communiqué instructing embassy and consular officials to rigorously evaluate visa applicants to prove they will not rely on public assistance in the US.
Though US law has long required permanent residency or legal status applicants to demonstrate financial self-sufficiency, the Trump era broadened the criteria, encompassing a wider range of public benefit programs in eligibility assessments. The November guidance extends this approach by mandating consular officers to consider detailed factors including applicant age, health status, family situation, finances, education, skills, past public assistance usage anywhere, and English language proficiency via interviews conducted in English when appropriate.
In addition to financial evaluations, immigrant applicants must undergo required medical examinations by US Embassy–approved physicians. These screenings identify communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, assess drug and alcohol history, mental health, and violent behavior, and verify completion of vaccinations.
Experts have suggested that this approach could further restrict visa approvals amid a broader tightening of immigration rules implemented by the current administration.
The full list of affected countries subject to the immigrant visa suspension includes Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.