WASHINGTON- The US State Department has ordered an immediate pause on visa processing for 75 countries as part of a broader review of immigration screening standards. The move centers on stricter enforcement of public charge rules under existing immigration law.
The suspension, which affects travel flows through major gateways such as Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and airlines including United Airlines (UA), will remain in place until revised vetting procedures are finalized.
US Visa Stop Processing for 75 Nations
A State Department memo directs consular officers worldwide to stop issuing visas to applicants from 75 countries while screening protocols are reassessed. Officers have been instructed to deny applications under current law if an applicant is deemed likely to become a public charge.
Countries affected include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Brazil, Thailand, Yemen, and several others across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. The pause takes effect on January 21 and has no defined end date.
The review focuses on strengthening pre-issuance checks to reduce the risk of approved applicants relying on US public assistance programs after entry.
Expanded Screening Criteria for Visa Applicants
Consular officers have been told to apply a broad set of factors when evaluating applicants. These include age, health status, English language ability, financial resources, employment prospects, and the potential need for long-term medical care.
Applicants with prior use of government cash assistance, a history of institutional care, or indicators of future dependency may face denial. Internal guidance also allows officers to consider conditions such as advanced age or obesity when assessing long-term healthcare risk.
Exceptions to the processing freeze will be rare and granted only after an applicant clears all public charge assessments, Fox32 Chicago reported.
Somalia Under Heightened Review
Somalia has received particular scrutiny following a large-scale fraud investigation in Minnesota.
Federal prosecutors uncovered extensive misuse of taxpayer-funded benefit programs, with many cases involving Somali nationals or Somali-Americans.
While the visa pause applies broadly, officials cite this case as an example of why stricter front-end screening is being prioritized during the reassessment period.
Policy Background
The public charge provision has been part of US immigration law for decades, granting consular officers discretion to deny visas to applicants likely to depend on public benefits.
In 2019, the Trump administration expanded the definition to include a wider range of benefits. That expansion faced legal challenges and was later rolled back under the Biden administration in 2022, which narrowed the focus to cash assistance and long-term institutional care.
The current pause signals a return to broader enforcement, though officials state it relies on long-standing statutory authority rather than new legislation.
Official Statement and Next Steps
State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said the department is using its authority to prevent abuse of public benefit systems and protect taxpayer resources. Immigration from the affected countries will remain paused until updated processing standards are implemented.
No timeline has been provided for when visa services will resume for the impacted nations.
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