- within Immigration topic(s)
Pabian Law Clients and Friends,
I hope that you all are having a great week. This morning, several media agencies shared news that the U.S. Department of State (DOS) was freezing processing at embassies and consulates for citizens of 75 countries. While not all information is currently known, we now have enough information to share this alert and hopefully ease some of your concerns.
Based on the post below by the DOS, the federal agency that oversees consulates and embassies, the State Department will be pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 different countries. This processing freeze is to take place beginning on January 21, 2026. "Immigrant visas" are those issued to people who have been approved for U.S. Lawful Permanent Residency (green cards). Nonimmigrant visas, such as H, L, E, O, P, etc. are a completely different category under U.S. immigration laws. Therefore, H-2B visas are completely unaffected by this announcement and will continue to process as normal.
According to several news outlets, the 75 countries include: 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.
While it is a relief that nonimmigrant visas are unaffected by this freeze, this is certainly unwelcome news for employers and foreign nationals from the above countries who are in the midst of the green card application process.
Additional information will hopefully be announced soon, including the duration of the freeze. We will keep you updated as more information is released. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Thank you,
Keith and the Pabian Law Team
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