US Suspends Visa Processing for 75 Countries Beginning January 21, 2026

(UNITED STATES) — the trump administration ordered an indefinite pause in U.S. visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, directing consular officers to refuse new applications starting January 21, 2026, according to a person familiar with an internal State Department memo.

A separate U.S. citizenship and immigration services directive expanded the move beyond consulates, ordering holds on pending benefit applications filed in the United States by people from the listed countries and calling for a re-review of certain approvals dating back to January 20, 2021, according to a USCIS policy memorandum.

“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.

Fox News Digital reported the move earlier Wednesday. Consular officers have been directed to refuse visa applications until screening and vetting procedures are reassessed, the Fox report said, with the pause going into effect Jan. 21.

What the directives do

The freeze would shut the door to new travelers to the United States for more than a third of the world’s nearly 200 countries, upending work and vacation plans. It comes about five months before the U.S. co-hosts the World Cup when hundreds of thousands of overseas visitors are expected.

The action spans both overseas visa processing and domestic immigration adjudications, reflecting a push to slow approvals while the administration reviews screening and vetting procedures. In practice, “indefinite” means there is no end date in the directive and no automatic restart, with processing tied to a review-driven reassessment.

For applicants abroad, the practical impact is immediate: new visa cases from listed nationals can be refused rather than issued. People with pending cases can also face delays if posts stop scheduling interviews or return applications without issuance under the suspension’s instructions.

Operational effects and USCIS actions

The administration has signaled that the policy reaches beyond new filings. USCIS directed personnel to halt work on covered domestic benefit requests, adding an additional layer of delay for people already in the United States who are pursuing green cards, citizenship, or asylum.

The stated rationale spans security screening and a renewed emphasis on “public charge” concepts. The administration is invoking existing legal authorities to prevent entry of individuals deemed likely to depend on public assistance, considering factors such as age, health, financial status, and English proficiency, according to the government documents described in official reports.

The policy foundation includes Presidential Proclamation 10998, along with internal Department of State and Department of Homeland Security directives, according to the official reports. Presidential proclamations are a common mechanism used by administrations to direct how immigration law is applied at the border and through consular decision-making.

USCIS implemented its part of the shift through internal guidance, which functions as instructions to adjudicators on how to handle filings. Those memoranda can translate broad White House and DHS directives into operational steps such as pausing adjudications, triggering additional review, or requiring supervisory sign-off before approvals move forward.

The USCIS policy memorandum, PM-602-0194, is titled “Hold and Review of USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from Additional High-Risk Countries.” It instructs personnel to “Place a hold on all pending benefit applications, for aliens listed in Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10998. regardless of entry date.”

The memorandum also sets out the agency’s justification in national security and public safety terms. “USCIS remains dedicated to ensuring aliens from high-risk countries of concern who have entered the United States do not pose risks to national security or public safety. To faithfully uphold United States immigration law, the flow of aliens from countries with high overstay rates, significant fraud, or both must stop.”

Procedural outcomes for applicants

For many applicants, the operational meaning will be procedural limbo rather than a final denial. Consular officers can refuse applications under the suspension while the review continues, and applicants can be left without a clear timeline for when new interviews will be scheduled.

Within USCIS, a “hold” can halt a final decision even after biometrics, interviews, or document collection are complete. Applicants can also see requests for additional evidence, more screening steps, or delayed interviews as files are re-vetted under the new posture described in the directives.

The administration also ordered a retroactive review for certain cases already approved. The directive calls for a re-review of all immigration benefit requests approved on or after January 20, 2021, for individuals from the listed nations, according to the official reports and government documents.

Context and recent events

The move comes after President Trump threatened further visa restrictions after an Afghan national shot two National Guard troops in Washington late last year. Trump has also moved to end deportation protections for Somalis amid a broader deportation push in Minnesota, home to thousands of people from the country.

State Department messaging has framed the action as an assertion of authority against applicants the government believes could draw on public benefits. In a second statement attributed to the department’s spokesperson, Tommy Piggott, the communication reported by major news outlets said: “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. Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”

Such statements can guide how officers evaluate documentation and how agencies justify procedural slowdowns. Applicants and sponsors typically respond by keeping detailed case records organized, preserving copies of filings and notices, and tracking changes in official guidance as it is released.

Scope and affected nations

The list of 75 countries is extensive and spans multiple regions, underscoring the breadth of the suspension. How individuals should interpret the country list can turn on edge cases such as dual nationality, changes in citizenship status, or derivative beneficiaries tied to a principal applicant.

In family-based and other group filings, the nationality of the person seeking the visa or benefit can determine whether the pause applies, even when relatives have different citizenship. For people who have more than one nationality, the determination can hinge on which passport is used for the application and how the government treats eligibility under the suspension’s terms.

• 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

Impacts on applicants and residents

For travelers and families, the immediate effect is that routine planning can break down quickly once the suspension begins. People preparing for tourism, business trips, academic programs, weddings, or family visits can find that visa issuance is not available even if they have supporting documents and a scheduled timeline.

Applicants already in the U.S. from listed countries can also face new complications. With USCIS freezing final decisions on green cards, citizenship, and asylum for covered individuals, some people could be stuck waiting even if they were otherwise nearing the end of the process.

The policy’s language around “public charge” also points to more scrutiny of personal circumstances. Applicants can expect closer attention to factors such as financial status and English proficiency where relevant to adjudication under the authorities the administration cited in its directives.

The administration’s approach also underscores that the pause is not limited to one visa class. The State Department’s suspension of issuance, coupled with USCIS adjudicative holds, creates a dual bottleneck that can affect people applying from abroad and those seeking benefits from inside the country.

How applicants and sponsors should respond

Applicants and sponsors typically respond by keeping detailed case records organized, preserving copies of filings and notices, and tracking changes in official guidance as it is released. Careful documentation can help if additional evidence or supervisory review is requested.

Because lists can be updated or clarified through later guidance, applicants and their families often focus on confirming the version used by the agency handling their case. That can include checking which passport is used for the application and confirming how nationality is being determined for their specific filing.

Official sources and where to verify

The directives described in the official reports indicate an effort to align consular and domestic processing under one framework. That can matter for people who move between consular processing abroad and USCIS filings in the United States, or who have pending cases in multiple systems.

Official documents cited in the reports include the USCIS policy memorandum and a State Department update describing suspension of visa issuance, along with the presidential proclamation. Readers seeking to verify the details can consult the government postings referenced in those documents, including USCIS policy memorandum PM-602-0194, the Department of State “Suspension of Visa Issuance” update, and the White House briefing room page for presidential actions.