Overview
- Consular posts have been instructed to stop issuing immigrant visas to affected nationals from January 21, though applicants may still file paperwork and attend interviews.
- The suspension applies only to immigrant visas for permanent residence, non‑immigrant visas such as tourist, student, and business travel remain unaffected.
- Officials say the move relies on long‑standing public‑charge authority and provided no timeline for lifting the freeze.
- Guidance exempts dual nationals applying with a passport from a non‑listed country, directs refusal of already approved but unprinted cases, and confirms no previously issued immigrant visas were revoked.
- News outlets have published a 75‑country roster spanning Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, situating the move within a wider crackdown that includes travel bans, expanded vetting, and large‑scale visa revocations.