United States | State Department’s immigrant visa issuance pause effective Jan. 21, 2026

The State Department announced Jan. 14 that it is pausing all immigrant visa (IV) issuance to nationals of 75 countries, effective Jan. 21, 2026.

Key Points:

• The countries are identified as: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, the Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, 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.
• According to the announcement: “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 utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge.”
• During this pause, IV applicants who are nationals from the affected countries can still submit applications and attend interviews (which the department will continue to schedule) with the understanding that no immigrant visas will be issued during this holding period.
• The pause does not apply to tourist visas, which the Department clarified “are nonimmigrant visas,” or dual nationals applying with a valid passport of a country that is not on the above-noted list of affected countries.
• The State Department notes: “No immigrant visas have been revoked as part of this guidance.”

Additional Information: The Jan. 14 announcement clarifies that the pause is specific to “all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants.” Temporary workers, business travelers and tourists are considered nonimmigrants under U.S. law, not immigrant visa applicants.

BAL will continue to monitor related developments and provide updates.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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