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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)
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Colombia
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Dominica
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- The Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyz Republic
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libya
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- North Macedonia
- 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
- 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.
