On January 14, 2026, the U.S. State Department announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries.
This directive, effective January 21, 2026, represents a significant expansion of the Trump administration’s legal immigration restrictions.
Rationale for the Suspension
The State Department, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stated the pause is necessary to reassess vetting procedures. The administration aims to identify applicants likely to become “public charges”—individuals who might rely on government welfare or public benefits. Officials argued this measure prevents the “abuse” of the immigration system and protects American resources.
Scope and Impacted Visas
- Immigrant Visas Only: The suspension strictly targets immigrant visas, which lead to lawful permanent residency (Green Cards) through family or employment petitions.
- Visitor Visas Unaffected: Crucially, non-immigrant visas for tourism (B-2) and business (B-1) are not included in this pause. This distinction ensures that international travel for the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics remains possible for residents of these nations.
- Projected Impact: Experts estimate the freeze could prevent approximately 315,000 legal immigrants from entering the U.S. annually.
Full List of Affected Countries
The 75 countries subject to the immigrant visa suspension include:
The affected countries are spread across multiple continents:
- Africa (27): Including Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.
- Asia (22): Including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma (Myanmar), Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, and Thailand.
- North America & Caribbean (13): Including Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, and Nicaragua.
- Europe (8): Including Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, and Russia.
- South America (4): Brazil and Colombia are among those included.
- Oceania (1): Fiji is the only country listed from this region.
Timeline and Implementation
This suspension builds upon a November 2025 directive that increased the financial self-sufficiency requirements for all visa applicants. Consular officials have been directed to cease processing pending immigrant visa applications from the designated countries by the January 21 deadline. The pause will continue until the State Department finishes its review of the public charge screening procedures.
