On January 14, 2026, the Department of State announced that it would pause issuance of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries until further notice.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The pause goes into effect on January 21, 2026. The government has not announced an end date at this time.
- Nonimmigrant visas (e.g. student, fiance, tourist) are not affected.
- The countries impacted by this announcement are 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.
- Embassies have been instructed to continue processing DS-260’s (applications for immigrant visas) and to conduct interviews for citizens of the above countries, but that they are not permitted to issue the visas or print boarding foils.
- Dual nationals applying with a valid passport of a country that is not listed above are exempt from this pause.
- This pause is separate from the ongoing travel ban and USCIS’s adjudicative hold in place for citizens of 39 countries.