01/14/2026
🚨 : The U.S. State Department announced today that it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, citing concerns that applicants from those nations are more likely to require public assistance if admitted to the United States.
The policy, announced under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, applies only to immigrant visas, which are used by people seeking permanent residence in the U.S. Officials said the suspension does not apply to non-immigrant visas, such as tourist, student, or business visas.
According to the State Department, the decision is based on a review of economic indicators and public-charge assessments tied to immigration law. Officials said the move is intended to ensure that new immigrants are financially self-sufficient upon arrival.
The countries affected by the suspension are:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 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, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, 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.
State Department officials said the suspension is effective immediately and will remain in place while the policy is reviewed. No timeline was provided for when processing may resume.
