US freezes all visa processing for 75 countries
Kenya and Burundi are the only two East African nations that won’t be affected by a recent announcement from the State Department regarding a pause in immigrant visa processing.
According to the State Department, they are halting visa processing for 75 countries as part of an initiative to address concerns about applicants who might become a public charge.
A memo from the State Department instructed consular officers to deny visas based on current laws while the department reviews its screening and vetting processes.
The list of affected countries includes Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen, and several others. This pause is set to start on January 21, 2026, and will remain in effect indefinitely until the department completes its reassessment of immigrant visa processing.
In the East African region, only Kenya and Burundi are exempt from this pause. This situation could create pressure on these countries, as individuals hoping to travel to the U.S. will likely explore every possible avenue to secure the necessary documents.
Kenya is recognized as a vital regional ally for the U.S.
Somalia, on the other hand, has come under increased scrutiny from federal officials due to a significant fraud scandal in Minnesota, where prosecutors uncovered extensive misuse of taxpayer-funded benefit programs. Many of those implicated are Somali nationals or Somali-Americans.
The complete list of countries includes 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.
In November 2025, a cable from the State Department was sent to posts worldwide, directing consular officers to implement extensive new screening rules under the “public charge” provision of immigration law.
This guidance tells consular officers to deny visas to applicants who might rely on public benefits, taking into account various factors such as health, age, English skills, financial situation, and even the potential need for long-term medical care.
Older applicants or those who are overweight could face denial, as well as anyone with a history of using government cash assistance or institutionalization.
“The State Department will exercise its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and take advantage of the generosity of the American people,” stated State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott.
The State Department is hitting pause on immigration from 75 countries while it takes a closer look at the procedures for processing immigration applications. The goal? To make sure that foreign nationals who might rely on welfare and public benefits don’t slip through the cracks.
The public charge rule has been around for quite some time, but how it’s enforced has changed a lot depending on who’s in charge. Historically, consular officers have had a lot of leeway in how they apply this rule. The exceptions to this new pause will be “very limited,” only allowing applicants to proceed if they’ve successfully navigated the public charge criteria.
Back in 2022, the Biden administration rolled out a version of the public charge rule that narrowed down the types of benefits considered—mainly focusing on cash assistance and long-term care, while leaving out programs like SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, and housing vouchers.
The Immigration and Nationality Act has always given consular officers the authority to declare applicants inadmissible based on public charge grounds. However, in 2019, President Donald Trump broadened the definition to include a wider array of public benefits. This change faced legal challenges, and parts of it were ultimately blocked before the Biden administration decided to roll it back.
US freezes all visa processing for 75 countries
