Washington, January 15 2026 (Agencies) – The United States has announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, a major expansion of its immigration policy that will take effect on January 21, 2026, the State Department said. The decision is part of the Trump administration’s widened crackdown on immigration, aimed at tightening screening procedures and preventing applicants deemed likely to become “public charges” from entering the United States.
Under the policy, consular officers at US embassies and consulates have been directed to refuse immigrant visa applications from citizens of the listed countries while the State Department reassesses vetting and screening processes under existing law. Non-immigrant visas such as tourist, business, student (F-1) and work visas (H-1B, L) are not reported to be affected by the current suspension.
Among the nations on the list are Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria, Thailand, Egypt, Iraq and Yemen. Critics say the move could disrupt family reunification, economic migration and legal immigration for thousands of applicants, and could strain diplomatic ties with countries on the list.
Countries affected by the US immigrant visa suspension:
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Antigua and Barbuda
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Bhutan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Burma (Myanmar)
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
North 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
Yemen
The full list above is based on a State Department directive first reported by Fox News and corroborated by media sources; an official US government publication of the list is pending.
The visa suspension does not specify an end date and will remain in place until the screening procedures are reviewed and updated. The policy follows earlier immigration restrictions introduced by the administration, which included expanded public charge rules and restrictions on nationals of other countries deemed to pose security or economic risks.
The announcement is expected to have wide-ranging impacts on immigrant communities, legal migration pathways, and relations with affected countries, particularly in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean regions.