The Trump administration is imposing an indefinite pause on immigrant visa processing from 75 countries, marking one of the most sweeping restrictions on legal immigration since President Donald Trump returned to office.
The US State Department confirmed on Wednesday that the move is intended to curb what it describes as abuse of the immigration system by people who could rely on welfare or public benefits after entering the United States. The suspension will take effect on 21 January, although officials have not yet released a consolidated, formal list of all affected countries.
In a statement, Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, said the department would use its long-standing authority to block applicants deemed likely to become a public charge. He added that the administration aims to prevent individuals from “exploiting the generosity of the American people.”
The department, now led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will halt immigrant visa processing while it reassesses screening procedures designed to limit the entry of foreign nationals who may depend on welfare or public assistance.
According to the Associated Press, consular officers worldwide have been instructed to stop processing immigrant visa applications from the affected countries. The suspension does not apply to non-immigrant visas, including temporary tourist or business travel.
Since returning to office, Trump has moved quickly to tighten both illegal and legal pathways into the United States. Immigrant visa processing has already been halted for applicants from Brazil, Iran, Russia and Somalia, with the new order significantly expanding those restrictions.
The policy builds on a series of national security-driven measures introduced in recent months. Countries such as Russia, Iran and Afghanistan, along with several African nations, have faced increased scrutiny and limits on migration. Following a November incident in Washington, DC, in which an immigrant from Afghanistan was charged in the shooting of two National Guard members, the administration banned or restricted entry from 19 countries. That list was expanded in December to include five additional countries and travelers using Palestinian Authority-issued documents.
Asylum claims, citizenship processing and green card applications for immigrants from the initial group of banned countries have also been paused, further narrowing legal options for those seeking permanent status in the US.
The countries affected by the broader suspension include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, the 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, the 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.
Officials say further guidance will be issued as the State Department completes its review, but the pause is expected to remain in place indefinitely, reinforcing the administration’s broader push to sharply restrict legal immigration routes into the United States.
