US pauses immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Russia

The US on Wednesday paused immigrant visa processing for people of 75 countries, including Pakistan, Russia, Bangladesh and Nepal.

This comes amid widespread crackdown by the Trump administration against foreign nationals likely to rely on public benefits in the US.

“The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” the State Department said in a post on X.

"The pause impacts dozens of countries – including Somalia, Haiti, Iran, and Eritrea – whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival. We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused," it added.

In a separate post. the White House said, “The Trump administration will PAUSE immigrant visa processing from 75 countries until the US can ensure that incoming immigrants will not become a public charge or extract wealth from American taxpayers. AMERICA FIRST.”

State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said, "The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people."

According to the official US State Department website, the pause will be effective from January 21.

The memo directs “consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures”.

The list of countries include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote 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.

According to a Fox News report, in November 2025, a State Department cable sent to missions around the globe instructed US consular officers to “enforce sweeping new screening rules under the so-called "public charge" provision of immigration law.

The notice had ordered consular officers across the world to consider those individuals seeking to enter and live in the US ineligible if they dealt with certain medical conditions, including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, saying such people could rely on US public benefits.

The foreigners applying for visas to live in the US “might be rejected if they have certain medical conditions”.

“You must consider an applicant’s health…Certain medical conditions – including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions – can require hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of care,” the cable had said.

It further advised visa officers to consider conditions like obesity in making their decisions, noting that it could cause asthma, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure.

The report added that older or overweight applicants could be denied, along with those who had any past use of government cash assistance or institutionalisation.