The US State Department has clarified that the pause on immigrant visas for individuals from 75 countries, which was announced on Wednesday, does not include tourist or work visas, but applies to only those wishing to live permanently in the US.
On Wednesday, the department had issued a list of 75 “high-risk” countries that will face a pause in immigrant visa processing from January 21, 2026, saying migrants from these nations take welfare from the American people at “unacceptable rates”.
“President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans. The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilise welfare in the United States or become a public charge,” the State Department said in a statement.
But, the visa halt does not apply to tourist visas, with the department saying “tourist visas are non-immigrant visas”. Dual nationals applying with a valid passport of a country not on the list of 75 nations are also exempt from this pause.
The pause has been announced on all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of countries including Afghanistan, Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Bhutan, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Somalia, Syria, Thailand, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
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The move is the latest in the crackdown by the Trump administration on immigration, aimed at curtailing the entry of foreigners likely to rely on public benefits while living in the US. An immigrant visa (IV) is issued to a person “wishing to live permanently in the United States”.
Immigrant visa categories include spouse of a US Citizen, fiancé (e) to marry a US Citizen and live in the US, certain family members of US citizens and lawful permanent residents, and certain employment-based immigrants who can live permanently in the US by applying for the Green Card and then getting US citizenship.
Nonimmigrant visas (NIV), meanwhile, are issued to individuals who have permanent residence outside the United States but seek to enter the country on a “temporary basis” for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.
The State Department further said that immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of affected countries may submit visa applications and attend interviews, but “no immigrant visas will be issued to these nationals during this pause”.
In a post on X, the White House said the Trump administration will pause immigrant visa processing from the 75 countries until the US can ensure that “incoming immigrants will not become a public charge or extract wealth from American taxpayers. AMERICA FIRST.”
“The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” the State Department said in a post on X Wednesday.
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