The Trump administration has announced a pause in immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, as part of a broader tightening of U.S. immigration policy.
A State Department spokesperson said the suspension will take effect on January 21 and will apply to countries across Latin America, the Balkans, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. Those affected include Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay; Bosnia and Albania; and Pakistan and Bangladesh.
According to the State Department, the move is based on concerns that applicants from the listed countries pose a higher risk of becoming a public charge in the United States. Tommy Pigott, the department’s principal deputy spokesperson, said the pause would allow officials to reassess screening procedures and prevent the entry of immigrants likely to rely on welfare or public benefits.
The suspension does not affect visitor visas, which remain in place as the United States prepares to host the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.
Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown that has extended beyond illegal crossings to legal migration channels. The administration has revoked more than 100,000 visas, tightened social media vetting for applicants, and imposed higher fees on certain skilled-worker visa categories.
The decision also follows a pledge Trump made in November to “permanently pause” migration from what he described as “Third World countries,” after a shooting near the White House involving an Afghan national. At the time, Trump argued that the U.S. immigration system needed to be reset to prioritise security and self-sufficiency.
