US freezes visa processing for 75 countries, some in Europe
A State Department memo, seen first by Fox News Digital, directs consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures.
The countries include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen and more.
The pause will begin on 21 January and will continue indefinitely until the department conducts a reassessment of immigrant visa processing.
Federal officials have subjected Somalia to heightened scrutiny following a sweeping fraud scandal centred in Minnesota, where prosecutors uncovered widespread abuse of taxpayer-funded benefit programmes. Many of those involved are Somali nationals or Somali-Americans.
Following a shooting in Washington by a man of Afghan descent in which a National Guard soldier lost his life, Trump announced in November that he would "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries."
According to a ministerial directive issued last November, US consulates must consider several factors when assessing visa applications. These include applicants' health, age, language skills, financial situation and expected use of the healthcare system. Those who are older or overweight, or who have previously received public assistance or institutional care, may be rejected.
The 'public charge' provision has been part of the US immigration system for decades, but its definition and how it is enforced have changed over time. Traditionally, consulates also held discretionary powers.
The State Department said
exceptions to the new pause will be "very limited"
and only allowed after an applicant has cleared public charge considerations.
| Countries affected by the pausing of the immigrant visa processing | |
| Continent | Country |
| Africa | Algeria, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda |
| Asia | Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Yemen |
| Europe | Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro |
| America | Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay |
| Oceania | Fiji |
| Source: Fox News | |
Cover image (for illustration purposes only): Getty Images
