Overview
- Officials say the suspension applies only to immigrant visas that lead to permanent residence, with tourist, student and other non‑immigrant visas continuing to be processed.
- The freeze begins Jan. 21 and will remain in place indefinitely while procedures are reevaluated under guidance expanded in November 2025.
- An unofficial list circulated by news outlets names countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Russia, Iran and Somalia, while an authoritative list has not been fully published.
- Consular officers have been instructed to weigh factors including age, health, finances, English ability and prior use of public assistance when assessing applicants.
- The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration clampdown and places thousands of family, employment‑based and diversity‑lottery cases in administrative limbo.