US to halt immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Nepal

WASHINGTON DC: The United States (US) has announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, expanding the Trump administration’s immigration restrictions.

The pause, which affects visas for employment or family reunification, will include nations such as Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Haiti, Somalia, and Russia. Non-immigrant visas, including tourist and student visas, are not affected, meaning travelers to events like the upcoming World Cup in the US will not be impacted, CNN reported.

The suspension is set to begin on January 21, according to a US official. This move follows last year’s guidance by the State Department for heightened scrutiny under the “public charge” rule, targeting those considered likely to rely on public assistance.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated, “The State Department will use 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.”

Pigott added that immigrant visa processing from these countries will be paused while procedures are reassessed to prevent the entry of individuals who may rely on welfare or public benefits. Many of the affected nations were already included in the administration’s expanded travel ban list.

The full list of countries affected by the suspension 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.

(Inputs from CNN)