US freezes immigrant visa processing for 75 countries Including Pakistan, Bangladesh

The United States Department of State has announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran and Russia, effective from January 21, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The freeze targets countries deemed high-risk for fraud or whose applicants are considered likely to become a financial burden on the US government.

Consular officers have been directed to refuse immigrant visas while the department conducts an extensive review of identity-management and information-sharing standards. State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott stated that the authorities will use their long-standing mandate to disqualify potential immigrants who might “exploit the generosity of the American people." 

The criteria for refusal are expected to be stringent, with officers instructed to weigh factors such as health, age, English proficiency, and financial stability.

According to a State Department memo circulated to consular posts, officers have been directed to refuse visas under existing immigration law while the department reassesses its screening and vetting procedures. The pause is set to begin on January 21 and will remain in effect indefinitely.

A US State Department spokesperson told Fox News that the move reflects stricter enforcement of the “public charge" provision of US immigration law, which allows authorities to deny entry to individuals considered likely to depend on government assistance.

The public charge provision has existed for decades but has been applied unevenly across different administrations. It gives consular officers broad discretion to deny visas based on an applicant’s likelihood of relying on public benefits.

Under new guidance sent to consulates worldwide in November 2025, officers have been instructed to apply the rule more aggressively. Factors to be weighed include an applicant’s health, age, English proficiency, financial resources and potential need for long-term medical care. The guidance allows visa denials for applicants who are older, overweight, have previously received government cash assistance or have a history of institutional care.

According to CNN, the countries impacted by the US suspension in immigrant visa processing are 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, Cuba, 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, 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.