WASHINGTON – The United States State Department has announced an indefinite freeze on visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, a sweeping measure set to take effect on January 21. The suspension affects a wide range of nations, including Russia, Brazil, Iran, and Somalia, signaling a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy.
Here’s the full list of 75 countries named in the Fox News report: 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, Yemen.
According to reports citing an internal State Department memo, the pause is being implemented to allow for a comprehensive reassessment of current screening and vetting standards. While the full list of 75 countries has not been publicly released in its entirety, identified nations include Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and Yemen.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott stated that the administration is utilizing long-standing authority to review eligibility requirements. The stated goal of the freeze is to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who might become a “public charge” or rely on government welfare systems.
“Immigration 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,” Piggott said in a statement.
The suspension will remain in place indefinitely until the Department concludes its review of visa processing procedures. While applicants from countries like Iran and Somalia have previously faced significant entry barriers, the inclusion of nations such as Brazil and Thailand represents a substantial expansion of immigration restrictions.
This development follows recent moves by the administration to tighten immigration enforcement, including the ending of temporary protected status (TPS) for certain groups. Consular officers worldwide have been instructed to halt processing for the affected nations immediately upon the start date.
