United States Suspends Immigrant Visa Processing for Citizens of 75 Countries

Immigration law is a rapidly evolving discipline worldwide. In the past few years, the law in Canada has changed rapidly as government policy priorities shift, new programs are created, and the law evolves. The same maxim regarding the rate of change in immigration law also applies to the United States, which has recently changed the law in a way that will affect immigration from around a third of the countries on Earth.

Trends and Recent Changes in the Immigration Policy of the United States

Since the 2024 election, the current U.S. government has enacted drastic changes to the country’s immigration policy. There has been a stark change to how non-citizens already in the United States are treated, but there have been further changes to America’s foreign policy regarding new immigrants and tourists as well. 

For example, in fall 2025, a new fee was added for H1-B visa applications, and the Gold Card Pathway to residence was introduced. Additionally, the United States promulgated new travel regulations for travel between the US and Canada in April 2025. These regulations included a requirement that Canadian citizens register with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services if they intend to stay in the US for longer than 30 days.

The impacts of these policy changes have begun to manifest, despite their brief time in effect. 2025 represented the first time in 50 years that the United States experienced net negative migration. It is estimated that this trend will continue into 2026. Further, Canadian travel to the US has been down markedly in the last few years, and so has European travel. These trends toward decreased travel and immigration may continue, given the current US administration’s general stance on immigration. Additionally, new policies, such as the pause on the issuance of immigrant visas, may further reduce immigration to the United States.

United States Pauses Issuance of Immigrant Visas 

In January 2026, the United States State Department announced it would suspend processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries. As of January 21, 2026, the pause is in effect, meaning that visa issuance for citizens of those 75 countries will be on hold until the policy is changed. This policy change comes following the tightening of US immigration policy in November 2025, and is in line with the broader policy objectives of the current US administration. 

The announcement includes the rationale behind the suspension. The US Government is focused on ensuring that immigrants entering the country are financially self-sufficient and will not be a financial burden on Americans. As part of the announcement, the US Government explained: 

“Applicants from these countries are at a high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state and federal government resources in the United States.” Further, the Department of State has indicated that they are “undergoing a full review of all screening and vetting policies to ensure that immigrants from high-risk countries do not unlawfully utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge.” 

Essentially, the suspension of visa processing stems from concern that citizens of the suspended countries coming to the United States will use social services at a disproportionate rate compared to immigrants from other countries. The US Government does not want immigrants coming to the US and ending up on welfare. As of now, there is no timeline for how long the suspension will last or when the Department of State will publish the results of its screening and vetting policies. It remains to be seen when the policy will change and whether some countries will be added or removed from the list. 

Countries That Are Part of the Suspension

Countries from all over the world are included in the suspension. Many countries from Asia and Africa are included in the suspension, as are some from South America and Europe. The full list of countries subject to the suspension is: 

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. 

Visa Suspension Specifics 

The wording of which visa applications are affected by the suspension is a bit ambiguous at first glance, as the announcement specifies that processing of immigrant visas is to be suspended. There are many different visas that people can use to enter the United States, so it is important to understand which visas will still be processed.

Citizens of a country on the list who hold a passport through citizenship in another country that is not part of the suspension list are exempt from the pause. They can apply for their visa using a passport from a country not subject to the suspension. The State Department has stated that those with already-issued visas are not affected by the suspensions. Visas that were issued before the suspension remain valid. 

Notably, the suspension does not apply to applicants seeking temporary tourist or business visas. Applicants in these categories represent the majority of visa seekers to the United States, so the suspension of the processing ban may not have as wide an impact as it seems. This is especially significant, given that the US is hosting two large international events in the next few years that will certainly draw international attention. The US, along with Canada and Mexico, is hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and will host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. These events attract international tourists, along with the Olympians, soccer players, and support staff from each nation, so significant numbers of people will be applying for temporary visas, which should still be processed.

Applying for US Visas Going Forward

While the visa processing ban will have an outsized impact on permanent immigration to the United States, temporary visa processing for tourists and business travellers should not be affected, so people can still apply to travel to the US using those visas. Importantly, Canadians who need to apply for visas to work in the US should not be impacted by this policy change.

Contact Garson Immigration Law in Toronto for Help With Immigrating to Canada or the United States

The talented immigration lawyers at Garson Immigration Law are highly experienced in helping our clients with immigration matters. We provide honest, trusted opinions and work with prospective newcomers to Canada to give them the best chance of making successful applications to come to Canada.

At our firm, we develop effective, pragmatic solutions for clients in all immigration matters, including permanent residence, citizenship, and US immigration. For a confidential consultation on your immigration matter, please contact us online or call 416-321-2860.