State Department to Suspend Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries

The Department of State is expected to pause consular immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries starting Jan. 21, 2026, according to multiple public reports. This development represents a significant expansion of the Trump Administration's efforts that include more intensive screening and review of overseas visa applicants. The government reportedly is undertaking a wide‑ranging reassessment of consular processing procedures, including fraud‑prevention practices, national‑security vetting, and public‑charge review standards. The countries expected to be affected span multiple regions. Consular posts within these jurisdictions will likely suspend scheduling and adjudication of immigrant visa interviews until new protocols are finalized. This anticipated pause follows the Administration's implementation of Presidential Proclamation 10998, which imposed full or partial visa‑issuance restrictions on 39 countries effective Jan. 1, 2026. Although this proclamation restricted both immigrant and certain nonimmigrant visa categories for designated nationalities, the expected Jan. 21 action reaches a far broader group and halts immigrant visa processing entirely at impacted consulates. Full list of the countries impacted: 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 The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.