Trump Administration Moves to Suspend Visa Processing in 75 Countries

The U.S. Department of State says it will pause the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries beginning January 21, 2026, a move the agency frames as a reassessment of screening tied to “public charge” concerns.

A State Department notice says affected applicants can still submit paperwork and attend interviews, and consular posts will keep scheduling appointments, but immigrant visas will not be issued during the pause.

Reuters, The Guardian, and multiple outlets describe the decision as part of a broader immigration crackdown, with no public timeline for when the pause might end.

Full List of Affected Countries (75)

1. Afghanistan
2. Albania
3. Algeria
4. Antigua and Barbuda
5. Armenia
6. Azerbaijan
7. Bahamas
8. Bangladesh
9. Barbados
10. Belarus
11. Belize
12. Bhutan
13. Bosnia and Herzegovina
14. Brazil
15. Burma (Myanmar)
16. Cambodia
17. Cameroon
18. Cape Verde
19. Colombia
20. Cote d’Ivoire
21. Cuba
22. Democratic Republic of the Congo
23. Dominica
24. Egypt
25. Eritrea
26. Ethiopia
27. Fiji
28. The Gambia
29. Georgia
30. Ghana
31. Grenada
32. Guatemala
33. Guinea
34. Haiti
35. Iran
36. Iraq
37. Jamaica
38. Jordan
39. Kazakhstan
40. Kosovo
41. Kuwait
42. Kyrgyz Republic
43. Laos
44. Lebanon
45. Liberia
46. Libya
47. Moldova
48. Mongolia
49. Montenegro
50. Morocco
51. Nepal
52. Nicaragua
53. Nigeria
54. North Macedonia
55. Pakistan
56. Republic of the Congo
57. Russia
58. Rwanda
59. Saint Kitts and Nevis
60. Saint Lucia
61. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
62. Senegal
63. Sierra Leone
64. Somalia
65. South Sudan
66. Sudan
67. Syria
68. Tanzania
69. Thailand
70. Togo
71. Tunisia
72. Uganda
73. Uruguay
74. Uzbekistan
75. Yemen

What the State Department Says Is Changing

A State Department update posted to travel.state.gov describes a “pause” affecting immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of the listed countries. Guidance in the same notice answers the practical question many families and employers immediately asked: interviews may proceed, but visa issuance will not.

Key points from the Department’s published notice and FAQ:

• Immigrant visa applicants from affected countries may submit applications and attend interviews, and posts will keep scheduling appointments.
• No immigrant visas will be issued to nationals of the affected countries during the pause.
• Dual nationals remain eligible if they apply using a passport from a country not on the list.

The Guardian, citing a State Department cable, reports an additional operational detail: cases approved but not yet printed are to be refused under the new instructions, with limited exceptions described as national-interest oriented.

Scope: Immigrant Visas, Not Most Temporary Travel

The Donald Trump administration has indefinitely suspended immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, effective 21 January, as part of a broader crackdown on immigration.

The move targets those deemed likely to become a “public charge” by relying on welfare… pic.twitter.com/9ktsexvcsA

— The Sentinel (@Sentinel_Assam) January 15, 2026

The State Department’s notice centers on immigrant visas, meaning visas used for permanent immigration processed at U.S. consulates abroad. The Department’s FAQ also draws a bright line between immigrant visas and tourist travel, describing tourist visas as non-immigrant.

News coverage has echoed that framing, reporting that the pause targets immigrant visa issuance while leaving most nonimmigrant categories outside the directive.

Separate from the 75-country pause, the State Department has also published notices tied to Presidential Proclamation 10998, effective January 1, 2026, that describe partial suspensions for certain visa categories for nationals of additional countries under a different authority.

The Rationale: “Public Charge” Screening and a Financial Self-Sufficiency Test

The State Department describes the move as part of a reassessment of how consular officers evaluate whether an applicant is likely to become a “public charge,” a legal concept embedded in U.S. immigration law.

“Public charge” is not a new legal tool. Federal statute makes a person inadmissible if they are “likely at any time to become a public charge.” Federal guidance documents and the State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual describe a multi-factor assessment that can include age, health, family status, assets and resources, and financial status.

Reuters reports that the State Department instructed U.S. embassies to refuse visas under existing law while visa procedures are reassessed. Reuters also reports no timeline for the suspension’s duration.

What Remains Unclear

Two questions are driving immediate uncertainty:

• Duration. Reuters reports that no timeline has been given for how long the pause will last.
• How widely exceptions will be applied. The State Department’s public FAQ highlights a dual-national exemption, while the Guardian’s cable reporting points to narrower national-interest style carve-outs.

For affected applicants, the legal basis for a “public charge” finding has existed for decades, yet the day-to-day impact depends on the Department’s internal implementation, how posts interpret the directive, and whether further guidance modifies screening criteria or restores issuance.