Overview
- State Department says the pause is indefinite pending a reevaluation of procedures and it does not cover non‑immigrant visas such as tourist, student or temporary business permits.
- Consular posts were told to suspend family, employment and diversity‑lottery immigrant cases from the affected nations, creating immediate uncertainty for thousands with applications in process.
- The policy is grounded in expanded criteria that weigh age, health, finances, English proficiency and past use of assistance to assess the risk of becoming a public charge.
- Officials have not released a formal country list; media have circulated an unofficial roster naming countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, including Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Russia, Iran and Somalia.
- The action follows November 2025 guidance tightening screening, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio is overseeing implementation under the Trump administration’s broader hard‑line immigration agenda.