January 14, 2026 update:
The Department of State posted the policy, which bars final immigrant visa issuance while the pause is in effect. Interviews will continue, and dual nationals are exempted as with prior bans. The affected countries are as follows:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote 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
Nonimmigrant visa applications are not affected.
Original post:
Media reports indicate that the Trump administration has directed U.S. consular posts to pause processing of certain immigrant visas, i.e., green card applications processed outside the United States through U.S. embassies and consulates. The pause is described as indefinite, and the State Department has not formally published the policy or released an official list of the reported 75 affected countries as of the writing of this post.
According to a State Department spokesperson, the reported pause is intended to limit visa issuances to applicants who may be deemed likely to become a “public charge,” a term in immigration law referring to primary reliance on government assistance for basic needs. The change reportedly takes effect January 21 and was communicated to consular officers through internal guidance.
Key details remain unclear, including the scope of the pause, possible exceptions or exemptions, and how long processing delays may last.
Applicants pursuing immigrant visas abroad should closely monitor developments and consider seeking legal guidance regarding how this may affect their cases.
Claire Pratt © Jewell Stewart Pratt Beckerson & Carr PC 2026
