US Indefinitely Freezes Immigrant Visas for 75 Countries, Including Pakistan and Bangladesh, Citing Public Charge Risks

15th January 2026 at 9:49 AM

2 minutes read

The US Embassy in India has issued a warning to tourist-visa applicants, signalling a tougher line against what Washington calls birth tourism.

The United States has imposed an indefinite pause on processing immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, and Somalia, citing concerns that applicants from these nations are likely to become dependent on public assistance.

Announced by the State Department on January 14, 2026, the suspension takes effect January 21 and stems from expanded “public charge” rules reinforced in a November directive. Under these guidelines, consular officers must rigorously assess whether visa applicants will rely on government benefits after entry, evaluating factors such as age, health, family status, financial resources, education, job skills, English proficiency, and any history of public assistance use.

The policy, directed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, builds on longstanding federal law and prior Trump-era expansions that broadened disqualifying benefits. Applicants already undergo extensive screening, including medical exams for communicable diseases, vaccination checks, and disclosures regarding criminal history, substance use, or mental health issues.

The State Department stated the measure aims to “bring an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people.” It emphasized that immigrant visa processing from the listed countries will remain halted while procedures are reviewed to block entry by individuals expected to access welfare programs.

Importantly, the freeze applies solely to immigrant visas, which lead to permanent residency. Non-immigrant visas—for tourism, business, study, or temporary work—remain available and are anticipated to see heightened demand ahead of the U.S.-co-hosted 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.

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The affected nations, spanning Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and other regions, 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.

This step forms part of the Trump administration’s broader push to tighten legal immigration pathways amid ongoing restrictions on entries from various regions.