The U.S. State Department said it will pause immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries beginning Jan. 21, 2026, citing concerns that applicants from those nations are more likely to become “public charges” and rely on public assistance.
In a statement shared online, the State Department said the freeze will remain in effect until officials can ensure new immigrants are unlikely to “extract wealth from the American people.” Reuters reported the department has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates to pause immigrant visa processing for the listed countries while it reassesses screening and vetting procedures.
The action targets immigrant visas tied to permanent residence pathways – including family-based cases, employment sponsorship and diversity visa processing – and does not apply to nonimmigrant visas such as tourist or business travel, AP reported.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the department will use long-standing legal authority to deny entry to applicants deemed likely to become a public charge, and said immigrant visa processing from the affected countries will be paused during the review, Reuters reported.
The decision follows broader guidance issued in November that tightened public-charge screening and instructed consular officers to weigh factors such as an applicant’s health, finances, education, skills and prior use of public assistance, AP reported. The updated approach also allows interviews to be conducted in English as part of evaluating an applicant’s ability to support themselves.
Critics signaled legal and political challenges ahead. Reuters cited a statement from Cato Institute immigration analyst David Bier arguing the move would sharply reduce legal immigration and block large numbers of would-be immigrants over the next year.
The State Department list of affected countries includes: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, 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.
