Overview
- Officials confirm the pause applies to permanent‑resident visas only, leaving tourist, student and other short‑term visas unaffected.
- An internal memo instructs consular officers to stop adjudicating immigrant‑visa cases from the affected countries during the review and to apply public‑charge rules more strictly.
- The suspension is set to begin on January 21 and will remain in effect until revised procedures are in place, according to the department.
- The government has not released a full list of the 75 countries; reports name Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Brazil, Thailand, Nigeria, Egypt and Somalia among those affected.
- The action is part of broader tightening of legal immigration, with the State Department reporting roughly 100,000 visa revocations last year.