The United States has announced a pause on immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Nigeria and Russia, as it reassesses applicants who may be deemed a “public charge.”
According to the U.S. State Department, the suspension is set to begin on January 21 and will remain in effect indefinitely while consular officers review screening and vetting procedures. Other affected countries include Somalia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Thailand and Yemen.
The decision follows heightened scrutiny of immigration processes, particularly after a major fraud scandal in Minnesota involving taxpayer-funded benefit programs. Many of those implicated in the case are Somali or Somali-American, prompting closer examination of benefit-related risks linked to immigration.
In November 2025, the State Department issued guidance to consular posts worldwide, directing officers to strictly enforce the long-standing “public charge” rule. Under the provision, visa applications can be denied based on factors such as age, health status, English proficiency, financial capacity, and the likelihood of requiring long-term public assistance.
A State Department spokesperson said the move was aimed at preventing abuse of public welfare systems and protecting U.S. resources, noting that immigration processing from the affected countries would remain paused while procedures are reassessed.
Full list of affected countries
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.
