Washington: The US Department of State has announced an indefinite pause on processing immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh. This policy takes effect on January 21, 2026.
The move applies only to people seeking permanent residency or green cards, such as family-sponsored, employment-based, or certain other categories.
The suspension is part of the Donald Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown, aimed at reassessing screening procedures to prevent the entry of individuals likely to become a “public charge” — meaning they could rely on US public benefits or welfare programmes, according to reports.
The State Department stated that the pause applies to countries “whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates,” and it will remain in place until assurances are in place that new immigrants will not burden public resources. This does not affect non-immigrant visas (temporary categories like tourist/B-1/B-2, student/F-1, or business visas). Those processing and issuances will continue normally, which is relevant given upcoming events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the US.
Earlier, the US President had said that no country can afford to take in millions of people and pay for their education and health care. He added that his administration will not make any payments to sanctuary cities from 1st of next month.
The full list of affected countries
