The U.S. Department of State is pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 countries in an effort to crack down on applicants deemed likely to become a public charge. This is stated in a State Department memo seen by Fox News Digital.
Consular officers are directed to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures. The restrictions have been imposed for an indefinite period.
The list of countries, according to Fox News, 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.
The U.S. Department of State explained that this measure is related to tightening the application of the so-called «public charge» provision. This refers to immigration law provisions that allow the denial of entry to foreign nationals who, in the authorities’ opinion, are likely to be dependent on government social assistance in the United States.
The guidance instructs consular officers to consider a wide range of factors, including age, health, English language proficiency, financial status, and potential need for long-term medical care.
A visa may also be denied if the applicant has previously received government financial assistance.
State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott stated that the department is using its long-standing authority «to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people». Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused until the review of procedures is completed, he stated.
As noted, exceptions to the new pause will be «very limited» and only allowed after an applicant has cleared public charge considerations.
The provision barring immigrants who could burden the U.S. public assistance system has been in effect in the United States for several decades, but its enforcement has varied across administrations. In 2019, the rule’s scope was expanded under President Donald Trump, but it was later partially repealed under the Joe Biden administration.
The U.S. Department of State emphasizes that the visa processing pause is intended to protect the interests of American taxpayers and to prevent further abuse of the generosity of the American people.
