Update: On August 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan struck down the Trump Administration’s ban on immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, ruling that the policy was “contrary to law and in excess of statutory authority.” It is unclear at this time how DOS is implementing the court decision. The court held that the ban exceeds the Secretary of State’s statutory and regulatory authority and violates Section 1152(a)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965’s prohibition on nationality-based discrimination in issuing a visa. In its decision, the court also vacated and set aside any visa denial based solely on the ban and ordered the State Department to restore lawful, case-by-case evaluation of visa applications.
The lawsuit argued that the U.S. Department of State imposed an unlawful, discriminatory nationality-based barrier to legal immigration that strips families and working people of the process guaranteed by law. The Trump administration baselessly cited “public charge” risk as its stated justification for the ban, after relentlessly and cruelly smearing immigrant communities, particularly communities of color.
Click link to read the decision.
On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, the State Department says it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries whose nationals are deemed likely to require public assistance while living in the United States. The State Department has instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the countries as these potential immigrants might become “public charges” in the U.S. The suspension will not apply to applicants seeking non-immigrant, or temporary tourist or business visas.
The pause will begin January 21, 2026 and will continue indefinitely until the department conducts a reassessment of immigrant visa processing. As the US suspends immigrant visas for 75 countries, this means there will be a pause by the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on approving immigration benefits such as green cards/residency (or immigrant visas), U.S. citizenship and removal of conditional residency.
The full list of countries where US suspend immigrant visas are Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
“This administration has proven itself to have the most anti-legal immigration agenda in American history,” said David Bier, director of immigration studies at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute. “This action will ban nearly half of all legal immigrants to the United States, turning away about 315,000 legal immigrants over the next year alone.”
What are next steps for immigrants from the 75 countries? Interviews will be canceled and case processing will be paused for immigrants from these 75 countries. However, Attorney Gail S. Seeram advises to continue submitting required documents as requested by the Embassy and US Citizenship & Immigration Services. Remember this is a pause and not permanent action. There is the potential for multiple lawsuits against the State Department on this baseless policy and for countries to be removed from this list. If this policy changes or is stopped by the courts then processing of immigrant visas (green cards) and U.S. citizenship will continue for these 75 countries and cases will be reopened and processed once documentary requirements are met.
For more information on US suspend immigrant visas for 75 countries,
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