US freezes all visa processing for 75 countries, including Somalia, Russia, Iran

4 months ago

The State Department is pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 countries to prevent applicants likely to become a public charge.
The pause begins on January 21 and will continue indefinitely until reassessment of visa procedures is completed.
Countries affected include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen, and others.
Consular officers are instructed to deny visas based on factors like health, age, English proficiency, and financial status.
Exceptions to the pause are very limited and require clearance of public charge considerations.
The public charge provision has existed for decades, but enforcement has varied across administrations.
The Biden administration had previously limited the scope of benefits considered under the public charge rule.
President Trump expanded the definition of public charge in 2019, but parts were blocked and later rescinded by the Biden administration.

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