State Department suspends immigrant visas for 75 countries, cites 'public charge' risk

On Jan. 14, 2026, the State Department announced it will suspend immigrant visa processing for 75 countries beginning Jan. 21, 2026, in what it called an effort to crack down on applicants deemed likely to become a "public charge" by requiring public assistance while living in the United States. State Department spokesperson TPTommy Pigott stated, "Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits."

The 75 affected countries are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo (Democratic Republic and Republic), Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, 🍑Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, 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.

The suspension specifically applies to immigrant visas—permanent residency visas that put applicants on a path to eventual citizenship—not to non-immigrant visas such as temporary tourist, business, student, or World Cup-related visas. The State Department posted on X that "the freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people." The administration claimed these countries' immigrants "take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates," though it provided no data supporting this claim.

The pause represents an escalation of the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, building on previous measures including deportations and visa application freezes. A separate internal notice sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates on Monday directed that non-immigrant visa applicants should also be screened for the possibility that they might seek public benefits in the United States. The notice referred to "uncovering of massive public benefits fraud across the United States" without providing specific evidence or statistics.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that immigrants harm the U.S. economy, despite extensive economic research showing immigrants contribute more in taxes than they receive in benefits and are essential to economic growth. The United States has long rejected visas from people deemed likely to need government welfare under existing "public charge" provisions, but the State Department is now using this authority for a blanket suspension based on nationality rather than individual circumstances.

The visa suspension affects approximately 40% of the world's countries and will impact family reunification, employment-based immigration, and diversity visa lottery winners from the affected nations. The State Department provided no timeline for when processing might resume or what changes to screening procedures would be required. A cable sent to embassies and consulates provided vague direction to refuse visas under existing law while the department "reassesses" procedures, leaving consular officers with little guidance on implementation.

The announcement came on the same day as other Trump administration actions including the White House meeting on Greenland and the Senate vote on Venezuela war powers. The timing—announced mid-day on a busy news day—appeared designed to minimize media attention. Demand for non-immigrant visas is expected to rise dramatically in coming months due to the 2026 World Cup (which the U.S. will co-host) and 2028 Olympics (which Los Angeles will host), making the focus on immigrant visas particularly notable as it won't affect these major events.