- The State Department says the 75-country visa pause ended on August twenty-one, twenty twenty-six after a federal court order.
- The change lifts one barrier, but applicants still face other restrictions and eligibility rules before any visa is issued.
- Proclamation one zero nine nine eight still blocks or limits visas for many nationals, including partial restrictions on Nigeria.
The U.S. Department of State says a January 2026 immigrant visa issuance pause covering nationals of 75 countries ended August 21, 2026, after a federal court order in CLINIC et al. v. Rubio.
The department announced the change in an update dated August 28. The decision removes the broad nationality-based barrier for applicants whose cases were held only under that policy.
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It does not guarantee visa issuance. Other restrictions and ordinary eligibility requirements remain in place.
The pause began January 21, 2026. Officials introduced it while reviewing screening and vetting policies tied to concerns about possible reliance on public benefits and the public-charge provisions of U.S. immigration law.
Covered applicants could sometimes continue parts of the immigrant visa process. The policy nevertheless blocked issuance unless an exception or other relief applied.
The original list included Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen, among many other countries. India was not on the list.
The end of the suspension changes the reason a visa may be withheld. It does not require the agency to issue every pending visa immediately.
Proclamation 10998 still creates separate barriers
Presidential Proclamation 10998 is a different measure. It took effect January 1, 2026, and fully or partially suspended visa issuance and entry for nationals of 39 countries, along with certain people applying with travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.
The proclamation fully suspends visa issuance, subject to limited exceptions, for nationals of 19 countries. Those countries are Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
It also imposes partial restrictions on nationals of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Turkmenistan faces a separate immigrant visa restriction.
The overlap means an applicant can leave the 75-country policy while remaining subject to another suspension. Nigeria shows how that can happen.
Nigeria appeared on the January list and is also covered by the partial restrictions in Proclamation 10998. The proclamation suspends immigrant visa issuance for Nigerian nationals, subject to specified exceptions and possible case-by-case national-interest determinations.
A Nigerian applicant therefore cannot treat the August 21 change as an automatic green light.
| Proclamation category | Countries listed in the State Department material |
|---|---|
| Full suspension, subject to limited exceptions | Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen |
| Partial restrictions | Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe |
| Separate immigrant visa restriction | Turkmenistan |
Applicants from countries included in the January measure but not independently restricted may see a larger practical benefit. Examples include Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Georgia, Ghana, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Uruguay and Uzbekistan.
They must still satisfy the ordinary requirements for an immigrant visa.
A case review comes before any new filing
The August 28 notice does not direct every affected applicant to submit a new immigrant visa application. The correct next step depends on where the case stood when the policy ended.
A case may already have completed document processing with the National Visa Center. It may have gone through an interview, entered administrative processing, received a refusal or temporary refusal tied to the earlier policy, or remained in line for an interview.
Some cases may also involve a different restriction altogether. Applicants should check their status and follow instructions from the National Visa Center or the assigned U.S. embassy or consulate.
They should not automatically create a duplicate application.
An earlier refusal also requires close review. A refusal based on another ground of inadmissibility does not disappear because the January policy ended.
Interview scheduling is a separate issue. The department's Immigrant Visa Scheduling Status Tool shows that some posts are scheduling recently documentarily complete cases, while others have significant waiting periods based on the visa category and location.
Applicants waiting at the National Visa Center should continue monitoring both the case and the scheduling status of the assigned post. The end of the suspension does not promise an immediate interview.
Transfers depend on residence and nationality
Current guidance generally directs immigrant visa applicants to interview in the consular district matching their place of residence. An applicant may request an interview in the country of nationality, subject to limited exceptions.
A transfer is not simply a choice of the post with the shortest queue. When the National Visa Center has already scheduled an interview, applicants seeking a post-to-post transfer are instructed to contact the NVC rather than the consular section directly.
That rule may affect cases that begin moving after the suspension ends.
Public-charge review and document validity continue
The department continues reviewing screening and vetting policies concerning whether intending immigrants could become a public charge or improperly rely on public benefits. Ending the nationality-based measure does not remove the statutory public-charge analysis when that inadmissibility ground applies.
Applicants may still need to show financial eligibility for their visa category. That can include sponsorship documentation where applicable.
They should also check the validity of passports, police certificates, financial sponsorship evidence, civil documents and medical examinations. Required documents may need renewal while a case waits for action.
The change concerns visa issuance under the January policy. People who already hold valid visas must separately examine entry restrictions that may apply to their nationality.
Visa validity and admissibility at the border are not always the same question. Proclamation 10998 also contains specific rules for people outside the United States who lacked a valid visa on its applicable effective date, as well as exceptions for certain lawful permanent residents, dual nationals and specified visa categories.
The policy's end removes one obstacle from cases that were blocked solely by the January measure. The remaining questions can involve visa eligibility, Proclamation 10998, public-charge requirements, security screening, administrative processing, visa-number availability and the capacity of an individual consular post.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
