Full List: U.S. Suspends Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries, Including Nigeria

The U.S. State Department will pause immigrant visa processing for 75 countries starting January 21, as it reassesses applicants under rules intended to prevent entry by those likely to rely on public assistance.

Countries affected include Nigeria, Russia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Thailand, and Yemen. The suspension will remain in place indefinitely while consular officers review screening procedures.

Officials say the decision follows increased scrutiny of Somali nationals after a major fraud case in Minnesota, in which individuals implicated were largely Somali or Somali-American.

In November 2025, the State Department issued guidance to overseas consular posts directing stricter enforcement of the “public charge” rule. Under this long-standing policy, visa applications can be denied based on factors such as age, health, English proficiency, finances, and potential reliance on long-term care.

“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge and exploit the generosity of the American people,” spokesperson Tommy Piggott told Fox News. “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while we reassess processing procedures to prevent entry by foreign nationals likely to rely on welfare or public benefits.”

**Full List of Affected Countries:**

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte 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, Yemen.