Immigrant Visa Issuance Paused for Applicants From 75 Countries: What You Need to Know

On January 21, 2026, the U.S. government made a major change to immigrant visa processing. The U.S. Department of State announced that it will pause the issuance of immigrant visas for people from 75 countries. This pause has no end date yet.

Below is a simple breakdown of what this means, who is affected, and what applicants should expect.

What Is Changing?

The State Department is temporarily not issuing immigrant visas (green cards processed at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad) for nationals of certain countries.

This pause gives the government time to review how it decides whether someone might become financially dependent on the U.S. government, a concept known as “public charge.”

Even though visas are not being issued right now:

• People can still apply
• Interviews are still happening
• Cases will continue to be processed

But no immigrant visas to people from 75 countries will be approved until the pause is lifted.

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Why Is This Happening?

U.S. immigration law allows the government to deny a visa if it believes a person is likely to depend on government financial help in the future. This is called a public charge determination.

In late 2025, the State Department gave consular officers new guidance that expanded how public charge reviews are done. This guidance tells consular officers that grant visas to:

• Look more closely at health conditions
• Consider an applicant’s age, education, job skills, and finances
• Review health issues of applicants’ family members, even if they are not applying
  

The government is now reassessing these rules, which led to the pause in immigrant visa issuance.

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Which Countries Are Affected?

Note that some of these countries were already subject to full or partial travel bans, which means the news of this policy change may be less urgent for certain applicants.

Who Is Not Affected?

This pause applies only to immigrant visas processed outside the U.S. It does not apply to non-immigrant visas. This means it does not affect:

• Student visas (F-1, J-1)
• Work visas such as (H-1B, O-1, TN, E-3)
• Visitor visas (B-1/B-2)
• People from the list of 75 countries already in the U.S. applying for a green card through USCIS, as long as they are not covered by a separate January 1 memo tied to a presidential proclamation 10998.

Important Consideration:

Some foreign nationals with citizenship from more than one country and using a passport from a country not on the list, may not be affected by this pause.

What Should Applicants Expect?

• Delays are likely, especially for families waiting for green cards through consular processing
• There is no announced end date for the policy
• Public charge reviews may become more detailed and stricter, even for some nonimmigrant visas
• Applicants should watch for messages from USCIS and/or the State Department about their case

Bottom Line

The immigrant visa pause is a processing freeze, not a complete shutdown. Applications can still be submitted and interviews at the time of this post are being scheduled by some Department of State offices, but approvals are on hold while the government rethinks how it evaluates public charge risk.

If you or a family member is affected, we know this news may cause stress and disappointment. We encourage you to stay informed and be prepared for delays. More updates are expected once the State Department finishes reviewing its policies. 

Rest assured that SimpleCitizen is here to help you stay informed. Stay tuned to SimpleCitizen's learning center for more information about this policy change and more as the immigration landscape evolves. And, as always, we’re happy you’re here!