Pause On Issuance Of Immigrant Visas (I.e., Permanent Residence Or "Green Cards") For Nationals Of 75 Countries Goes Into Effect January 21, 2026

Effective January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of State is pausing the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries on the basis that the government deems these applicants to be at "high risk" of becoming a "financial burden" to the U.S.

By way of background, an Immigrant Visa is a travel document issued by a U.S. Consulate or Embassy to an applicant who is outside the U.S. that permits the applicant to enter the U.S. for the purpose of permanent residence (as opposed to a "nonimmigrant" visa, which only permits temporary entry for a specific purpose such as work or study). After being admitted to the U.S. on an Immigrant Visa, the applicant is issued a "green card" and is permitted to live and work here permanently.

Specifically, the State Department will pause issuing immigrant visas to nationals of the following 75 countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote 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.

During this pause, the State Department will undergo a "full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance" to ensure that nationals from these countries do not utilize "welfare" or become a "public charge." The State Department has not provided any further details on how long the pause will last or what this review will entail.

This pause in the issuance of visas does not apply to:

1. Dual nationals applying for an immigrant visa with a valid passport of a country that is not on this list.
2. Issuance of nonimmigrant visas (i.e. visas for tourism, work, study, etc.). Please note however that previously enacted nonimmigrant visa restrictions for the issuance of nonimmigrant visas to applicants from certain countries are still in place.

An alternate method of obtaining a "green card" is by filing an Adjustment of Status application while physically within the U.S. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that adjudicates immigration benefits within the U.S., has not announced a pause on the issuance of green cards to nationals of these same 75 countries. However, USCIS previously announced a hold on USCIS benefit applications filed by applicants from another set of countries deemed as "high risk."

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