The Trump administration has taken strict action against nationals of select countries, pausing the issuance of immigrant visas and making them ineligible for US green cards.
Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State is pausing all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of the following 75 countries:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, 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.
Immigrant Visas
Immigrant visas allow foreigners to live and work continuously in the United States after receiving a green card. The new rule essentially means that no immigrant visas will be issued to nationals of these 75 nations.
It also means that nationals of these 75 countries can still enter the United States on a non-immigrant visa, which is intended for non-citizens visiting the country temporarily for tourism, commerce, temporary job, or study.
This pause is specifically for immigrant visa applicants and B1/B2 tourist visa applicants will not be affected, as they are non-immigrant visas.
Why the Pause
The reason for temporarily banning nationals of certain countries from getting an immigrant visa is economic in nature. President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans.
The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk 75 countries do not utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge.
Meanwhile, the Department of State will continue to schedule applicants for appointments, but no immigrant visas will be granted to citizens of the impacted countries during this delay. However, applicants for immigrant visas may submit applications and attend interviews.
US President Donald Trump recently posted a chart on Truth Social detailing the percentage of immigrant households from various countries that receive welfare and public assistance in the US. The chart included data from nearly 120 countries and territories, but notably, India was absent from the list.
The exclusion of India from the list of 120 countries drew attention from analysts, as it appears the chart only featured countries with a welfare usage rate exceeding 25%. Data shows that Indian-Americans have among the highest median household incomes and the lowest reliance on public assistance compared to other immigrant groups.