The United States has announced a sweeping pause on immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, citing concerns over welfare dependence and the need to reassess screening and vetting procedures. The decision was confirmed via an official statement shared on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s social media platform X, lending formal authentication to the move.
According to the announcement, the pause—effective from January 21—will remain in place until U.S. authorities complete a comprehensive review of immigrant visa processing systems. The policy impacts applicants from a wide range of regions across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America, marking one of the most expansive visa freezes in recent years under the Trump administration’s “America First” framework.
The countries affected by the freeze include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan; Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma; Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte 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.
In its statement, U.S. officials said the freeze is intended to prevent what they described as “unacceptable rates of public dependency” among new immigrants, adding that visa processing will resume only after safeguards are strengthened.
