January 15, 2026

US suspends visa processing for 75 countries including Tanzania, Rwanda

US Department of State has announced it will halt immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, citing high rates of welfare use among migrants from these nations.

US Department of State has announced it will halt immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, citing high rates of welfare use among migrants from these nations.

The US Department of State has announced it will halt immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, citing high rates of welfare use among migrants from these nations.

In a statement on Wednesday, January 14, the department said the move is intended to safeguard American taxpayers from financial strain.

“The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” the statement read.

According to the department, the pause affects nations where immigrants have reportedly relied heavily on public support.

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“The pause impacts dozens of countries – including Somalia, Haiti, Iran, and Eritrea – whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival. We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused,” the statement added.

The full list of affected countries includes Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire and Cuba.

Others are Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco and 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 will also be affected.

This comes weeks after President Donald Trump ordered the immediate suspension of the Diversity Visa Lottery Program, commonly known as the green card lottery.

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