Trump administration freezes US visas for 75 countries, State Department confirms
Affected countries include Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Somalia, Brazil, Nigeria, and more
WASHINGTON/DUBAI – The United States has announced a sweeping pause on immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, the State Department confirmed on Wednesday.
The freeze, set to begin on January 21, comes as part of an ongoing immigration crackdown under the Trump administration. Officials said the move targets countries whose migrants reportedly rely heavily on public welfare programmes in the US.
“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,” spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.
— Department of State (@StateDept) January 14, 2026
Consular officers have been directed to scrutinise applicants carefully and pause approvals until new screening measures are fully implemented. This follows prior measures under the administration, including stricter social media vetting for visa applicants and heightened scrutiny of potential immigrants from countries with large refugee populations.
Affected countries
The list of affected nations spans multiple continents and includes Pakistan, Somalia, Iran, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, and Thailand. Citizens from some of these countries already faced strict visa restrictions, but the new measures mark an unprecedented expansion.
A State Department memo instructs US embassies to refuse visa applications under existing law while procedures and screening protocols are reassessed. The department did not provide a timeline for when visa processing might resume.
US visa freeze
The policy follows a series of measures by the Trump administration aimed at tightening immigration. Last November, President Trump vowed to “permanently pause” migration from several countries he referred to as “Third World Nations” following a shooting near the White House by an Afghan national, which killed a member of the National Guard.
This freeze affects more than a third of the world’s nearly 200 countries, potentially disrupting travel for business, tourism, and personal reasons. The decision arrives months before the US co-hosts the FIFA World Cup, an event expected to attract hundreds of thousands of international visitors.