US to suspend visa processing for 75 nations, says State Department

Washington: The Trump administration is suspending all visa ​processing for applicants from 75 countries, ‌a State Department spokesperson ⁠said on ‌Wednesday.

The spokesperson did not elaborate on the plan, first reported by Fox News, which cited a State ​Department memo.

The pause will begin on January 21, Fox News said.

Somalia, Russia, Iran, ‌Afghanistan, ‌Brazil, Nigeria, Thailand are among the affected countries, according ⁠to the report.

The memo directs US embassies to refuse visas under existing law while ⁠the department reassesses ⁠its procedures. No time frame was ‌provided.

The reported pause ‌comes amid the sweeping immigration crackdown pursued by Republican US President Donald Trump since ‍taking office last January.

In November, Trump had vowed to "permanently pause" migration from all "Third World Countries" following a shooting near the White House by an Afghan national that killed a National ​Guard member.