In a significant immigration policy shift, the U.S. State Department has announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 designated countries effective January 21. This administrative pause, first revealed through internal documents obtained by Fox News Digital, enables consular officers to deny visas under existing public charge provisions while the department comprehensively reassesses screening and vetting protocols.
The affected nations span multiple continents and include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and Yemen among others. This action follows heightened scrutiny of immigration practices, particularly concerning Somalia after federal investigators uncovered extensive fraud within taxpayer-funded benefit programs in Minnesota.
According to the State Department directive, consular officers must now implement rigorous screening measures that evaluate applicants’ potential likelihood of becoming public charges. Assessment criteria encompass health status, age, English language proficiency, financial stability, and possible requirements for long-term medical care. The guidelines notably specify that older applicants, those with overweight conditions, or individuals with previous utilization of government cash assistance programs may face visa denials.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott stated: ‘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 we reassess processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would utilize welfare and public benefits.’
Exceptions to this suspension will be exceptionally limited and permitted only after applicants successfully clear public charge considerations. The public charge provision, while existing for decades in immigration law, has experienced fluctuating enforcement across presidential administrations. The Trump administration notably expanded the definition of public charge in 2019 to include broader benefit categories, though portions were subsequently blocked in courts before being rescinded by the Biden administration.
The complete list of affected countries comprises 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 and Yemen.