A U.S. State Department instruction sent to embassies and consulates has triggered a major, immediate change for applicants from 75 countries: immigrant visa processing is being paused, effective January 21, 2026.
For citizens of the affected countries, the practical impact is simple and blunt: if you were moving through a U.S. immigrant visa pathway (typically tied to permanent residence), you should expect your case to be delayed, paused, or refused at the printing/issuance stage, depending on where it sits in the pipeline.
This is not being described as a universal halt for every visa type. The pause is reported as focused on immigrant visas, while temporary visas (such as visitor or business travel) are not part of the same blanket pause—though scrutiny can still tighten.
What This Means In Plain English?
If you’re from one of the countries listed below and you’re applying for an immigrant visa (often tied to family sponsorship, employment immigration, or other permanent pathways), consular processing may stop moving forward after January 21, 2026—even if you’ve already cleared earlier steps.
People who are most exposed include:
- Applicants whose cases were already “approved in principle” and were awaiting final issuance/printing
- Applicants with upcoming immigrant visa interviews who assumed issuance would follow quickly
- Families mid-process who planned travel, resignations, school transitions, or relocation based on expected visa timing.
Reported Policy Focus: “Public Charge” Screening
The US Visa issuance pause is being linked to expanded enforcement of “public charge” risk screening—essentially, whether a future immigrant might be viewed as likely to depend on public assistance. That framing matters because it explains why the pause is not uniform across all countries, and why financial documentation is likely to become more decisive across affected cases once processing resumes.
Reported Exceptions To Know (If You’re Affected)
While details can vary, reporting indicates possible exceptions in situations such as:
- Dual nationals using a passport from a non-listed country
- Cases treated as national-interest or aligned with U.S. priorities
If you fall in either category, you should still assume delays—but you may have a narrower path to proceed depending on your circumstances.
Full List of 75 Countries Facing US Visa Issuance Pause in 2026
| Sub-continent / region | Countries (immigrant visa processing paused) |
|---|---|
| South Asia | Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan |
| Southeast Asia | Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand |
| East Asia | Mongolia |
| Central Asia | Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan |
| Caucasus | Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia |
| Middle East | Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen |
| North Africa | Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia |
| West Africa | Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo |
| Central Africa | Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| East Africa | Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda |
| Europe (Balkans) | Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia |
| Eastern Europe / Eurasia | Belarus, Moldova, Russia |
| Caribbean | Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Central America | Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua |
| South America | Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay |
| Oceania | Fiji |
Who Should Be Most Alarmed Right Now
If you’re in an affected country and any of the following are true, you’re in the danger zone:
- You already completed medicals, document qualification, or interview steps and were awaiting issuance
- Your passport is currently in a consulate’s possession for visa printing
- You’re scheduled for an immigrant visa interview in the next few weeks and assumed it would end in issuance
- You made irreversible life moves (job resignation, housing termination, school withdrawal) tied to U.S. visa timing.
What To Do Next (Action Checklist)?
1# Confirm your visa category — this matters more than your timeline
- Immigrant visa (permanent pathways): expect the greatest disruption
- Non-immigrant visa (temporary travel/study/work): not necessarily paused in the same blanket way, but screening can still intensify
2# Stop making irreversible decisions until you have certainty
If you’re planning travel or relocation, avoid:
- quitting your job
- selling property
- withdrawing from university
- ending a lease
…until you have embassy-level confirmation.
3# Prepare stronger financial evidence (even if you already submitted some)
Because the issue is being linked to “public charge” risk, you should assume the strongest cases will be those that can show:
- stable income or savings
- credible sponsor support
- clear employment prospects
- clean and consistent documentation history
4# If you have dual nationality, check your passport strategy immediately
If you hold two passports and one is from a non-listed country, your situation may be materially different—especially if consular rules allow you to proceed as a national of the non-listed country.
5# Watch official embassy/consulate updates daily
Operational details (appointment handling, passport returns, rescheduling procedures) can differ by location.
The Big Picture!
This move sends a clear signal: the U.S. is tightening the gate on permanent immigration workflows for specific nationalities, and financial-risk screening is again taking center stage. For affected citizens, the immediate priority isn’t speculation—it’s stabilizing your plan, protecting your timeline, and preparing stronger documentation for whatever rules follow next.
If you want, tell me your country + which visa you’re applying for (family immigrant, employment immigrant, visitor, student, etc.) + your current stage (interview done / interview pending / DQ / passport submitted) and I’ll turn this into a one-page “what happens next” roadmap tailored to your situation.