Effective January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of State has
indefinitely paused all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants
who are nationals of 75 countries. The State Department asserted
that it made its decision because nationals of these countries pose
a higher risk of becoming a "public charge," i.e.
becoming dependent on social safety net programs.
The 75 countries included on the list are: 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,
