The US State Department on Wednesday announced a freeze on the visa processing for 75 countries, citing an endeavour to remove applicants who are considered likely to be a “public charge”.
A “public charge” as defined by the US Department of Homeland Security is a foreign entity who is deemed to be “primarily dependent” on the government for subsistence.
The list of countries impacted due to the move include Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Iran.
The full list comprises of 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,
As well as 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.
We welcome the Palestinian Presidency’s support for President Trump’s historic 20-Point Peace Plan. The U.S. remains committed to bringing an end to the war in Gaza and promote peace and stability in the Middle East. https://t.co/Brw6KTk9wR
— U.S. State Dept – Near Eastern Affairs (@StateDept_NEA) January 14, 2026
Fox News Digital reported the move earlier Wednesday. The move shuts the door to new travelers to the US for more than a third of the world’s nearly 200 countries, potentially upending work and vacation plans. It comes about five months before the US co-hosts the World Cup when hundreds of thousands of overseas visitors are expected.
The move comes after Trump threatened further visa restrictions after an Afghan national shot two National Guard troops in Washington late last year. He’s also moved to end deportation protections for Somalis amid a broader deportation push in Minnesota, home to thousands of people from the country.
“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,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement Wednesday.
According to the Fox report, consular officers have been directed to refuse visa applications until screening and vetting procedures are reassessed. The pause goes into effect Jan. 21, it said.
(With Bloomberg inputs)
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