On January 14, after media reports of a forthcoming pause, the Department of State announced that it will be pausing the issuance of immigrant visas at consulates for 75 countries which will go into effect on January 21. This pause has been implemented to allow the Department of State to address stricter review of intending immigrants to assess the likelihood that individuals will enroll in government assistance programs or require means-tested benefits on arrival to the United States. While the current procedure assesses whether an individual will become a public charge and requires an Affidavit of Support, it is possible that additional vetting will be required in the future.
The listed countries include 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.
The Department of State has not indicated that there are any exceptions to this pause for individuals holding a single nationality in one of the listed countries. Nonimmigrant visas, including tourist visas, H-1B visas, and student visas, are not included in the pause. Additionally, the pause should not result in the termination of visas that have been issued.
This pause comes within weeks of the December 16 Presidential Proclamation that expanded the travel ban and removed the exception to the ban for immediate relatives intending to immigrate. Some countries that fall under the extended travel ban also appear on the list of countries on hold with the Department of State under this announcement.
