Washington: The United States has temporarily stopped processing immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, as part of a broader overhaul of immigration policies under President Donald Trump’s administration. The pause, announced by a State Department spokesperson on Wednesday, will take effect from January 21.
The decision affects a wide range of regions, spanning South Asia, Latin America, the Balkans, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Countries such as Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay in Latin America, Bosnia and Albania in the Balkans, and dozens of African and Middle Eastern nations are included in the suspension.
According to a State Department cable circulated to US diplomatic missions, the move is part of a comprehensive reassessment of visa procedures aimed at strengthening screening and vetting standards. The document notes concerns that a significant number of applicants from the listed countries could be at risk of relying on public assistance after entering the United States.
The cable states that authorities have identified patterns suggesting that some nationals from these countries have previously sought government-funded benefits. As a result, applicants are being categorised as having a higher likelihood of becoming a “public charge,” a term used in US immigration law to describe individuals who may become dependent on state support.
The suspension does not apply to non-immigrant or visitor visas, which remain unaffected—a point of significance as the United States prepares to host major global events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.
The current action follows earlier instructions issued in November, directing US diplomats to ensure that immigrant visa applicants demonstrate sufficient financial independence and do not pose a risk of depending on public welfare. Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the State Department, said the department would rely on its existing authority to deny entry to individuals likely to draw on taxpayer-funded resources.
Under the new guidance, consular officers have been told to halt cases where visas were approved for printing but not yet issued, as well as those already printed but still held at consulates.
The move comes amid an aggressive immigration enforcement push since President Trump returned to office in January. While his campaign focused heavily on curbing illegal immigration, critics argue that recent measures have also tightened pathways for legal migration. The administration has already increased scrutiny of visa applicants, expanded social media checks and revoked more than 100,000 visas in recent months, according to the State Department.
Immigration policy analysts have warned that the suspension could have far-reaching consequences. David Bier, Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute, said the decision could block nearly half of all prospective legal immigrants, potentially affecting more than 300,000 people over the next year.
President Trump has defended the tougher stance, arguing it is necessary to protect public resources and ensure national security after years of elevated illegal immigration levels under the previous administration. He had earlier signalled a hard-line approach, including a pledge made in November to halt migration from what he described as “Third World countries” following a security incident near the White House.
The State Department has not indicated how long the review process will take, leaving thousands of prospective immigrants uncertain about the future of their applications.
