DOS to Pause Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries Effective January 21, 2026
The current Administration has announced that effective January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of State will pause the issuance of certain immigrant visas for applicants from 75 designated countries. This pause is implemented through immigrant visa refusals under INA §221(g) and is based on a newly announced, non-statutory presumption of inadmissibility under INA §212(a)(4) (public charge) for affected applicants.
This policy applies only to immigrant visas issued abroad. Nonimmigrant visas (such as H-1B, L-1, O-1, F-1, etc.) are not affected.
Countries Affected
The pause applies to immigrant visa applicants presenting passports from the following countries:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, 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.
Key Practical Takeaways
Dual nationals may still be adjudicated.
Applicants who are dual nationals and apply using a passport from a non-affected country may still receive final adjudication, consistent with prior travel-ban practices.
Immigrant visa interviews will still proceed.
Consular interviews will proceed as scheduled. Applicants must bring all required documentation, including medical examinations and police certificates. If no other grounds of inadmissibility apply, consular officers are instructed to refuse the case under §212(a)(4) and place it in §221(g) administrative processing.
National Interest Exceptions may apply.
As with prior restrictions, a national interest exemption appears to be available, although it is expected to be granted only in limited circumstances.
Previously issued visas are not being revoked.
Visas already issued and delivered remain valid.
No end date has been announced.
The State Department has not provided a timeline for how long the pause will remain in effect. The measure is described as temporary and tied to an ongoing review of public-charge screening and vetting procedures.
We are closely monitoring developments and will provide updates as more guidance becomes available. Individuals and employers with pending or upcoming immigrant visa cases from affected countries should consult immigration counsel to assess case-specific impacts and possible strategies.
