US will suspend immigrant visa processing from 75 countries over public
assistance concerns
[January 15, 2026]
By MATTHEW LEE
WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department said Wednesday it will suspend
the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries,
including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, whose nationals the
Trump administration has deemed likely to require public assistance
while living in the United States.
The State Department, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said it had
instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from
the countries affected in accordance with a broader order issued in
November that tightened rules around potential immigrants who might
become “public charges” in the U.S.
The step builds on earlier immigration and travel bans by the
administration on nearly 40 countries and is part of President Donald
Trump’s ongoing efforts to tighten U.S. entry standards for foreigners.
“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s
immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American
people,” the department said in a statement. “Immigrant visa processing
from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department
reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of
foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
The suspension, which will begin Jan. 21, will not apply to applicants
seeking non-immigrant visas, or temporary tourist or business visas, who
make up the vast majority of visa seekers. Demand for non-immigrant
visas is expected to rise dramatically in the coming months and years
due to the upcoming 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics both of which the
U.S. will host or co-host.
Cable calls for screening of non-immigrant visa applicants
A separate notice sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates said that
non-immigrant visa applicants should be screened for the possibility
that they might seek public benefits in the United States.
“With the uncovering of massive public benefits fraud across the United
States, the Trump administration is laser-focused on eliminating and
preventing fraud in public benefits programs,” said the cable that
referred specifically to most non-immigrant visa applications and was
sent on Monday.
The cable, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, urged
consular officers to ensure that foreigners wanting to travel to the
U.S. “have been fully vetted and screened” for whether they may rely on
public services before they are issued a visa.
The cable noted several times that it is up to the applicant to prove
that they would not apply for public benefits while in the U.S. and said
consular officers who suspect the applicant might apply should require
them to fill out a form proving their financial bona fides.
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Cubans line up for appointments at the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba,
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
President Donald Trump's administration has already severely
restricted immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing for citizens
of dozens of countries, many of them in Africa, Asia and Latin
America.
Consular officials must consider a range of personal details
The November guidance on which Wednesday's decision is based
directed U.S. Embassy and consulate officials to comprehensively and
thoroughly vet visa applicants to demonstrate that they will not
need to rely on public benefits from the government any time after
their admission in the U.S.
While federal law already required those seeking permanent residency
or legal status to prove they wouldn’t be a public charge, Trump in
his first term widened the range of benefit programs that could
disqualify applicants, and the guidelines in the cable appear to go
further in scope.
Immigrants seeking entry into the U.S. already undergo a medical
exam by a physician who’s been approved by a U.S. Embassy. They are
screened for communicable diseases, like tuberculosis, and asked to
disclose any history of drug or alcohol use, mental health
conditions or violence. They’re also required to have a number of
vaccinations.
The new directive expanded those with more specific requirements. It
said consular officials must consider a range of specific details
about people seeking visas, including their age, health, family
status, finances, education, skills and any past use of public
assistance regardless of the country. It also said they should
assess applicants’ English proficiency and can do so by conducting
interviews in English.
Experts said at the time it could further limit who gets to enter
the country at a time when the Republican administration is already
tightening those rules.
The countries affected by the suspension announced on Wednesday are:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan,
Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia,
Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia,
Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory
Coast, 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 and Yemen.
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