Immigrant visa pause for individuals from 75 'high-risk' countries does not include tourist, temporary visas

New York/Washington: The Trump administration's latest pause on immigrant visas for individuals from 75 “high-risk” countries, including Bangladesh and Pakistan, does not apply to tourist or work visas and will impact those wishing to live permanently in the US. The State Department on Wednesday issued a list of 75 countries that will face a pause in immigrant visa processing from 75 countries, saying migrants from these nations take welfare from the American people at “unacceptable rates”. The move, the latest in the crackdown by the Trump administration on immigration, is aimed at curtailing the entry of foreigners likely to rely on public benefits while living in the US. “President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans. The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilise welfare in the United States or become a public charge,” the State Department said in a statement.

Effective January 21, the Department of State is pausing all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of countries including Afghanistan, Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Bhutan, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia. Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Somalia, Syria, Thailand, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen. The department said that the pause does not apply to tourist visas and is specifically for immigrant visa applicants. “Tourist visas are non-immigrant visas,” it added. An immigrant visa (IV) is issued to a person “wishing to live permanently in the United States”. Immigrant visa categories include spouse of a US Citizen, fiancé (e) to marry a US Citizen and live in the US, certain family members of US citizens and lawful permanent residents, and certain employment-based immigrants who can live permanently in the US by applying for the Green Card and then getting US citizenship. Nonimmigrant visas (NIV) are issued to individuals who have permanent residence outside the United States but seek to enter the country on a "temporary basis” for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.

The State Department further said that immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of affected countries may submit visa applications and attend interviews, and the Department will continue to schedule applicants for appointments, but “no immigrant visas will be issued to these nationals during this pause.” Dual nationals applying with a valid passport of a country not on the list of 75 nations are exempt from this pause. The Department clarified that no immigrant visas have been revoked as part of this guidance. In a post on X, the White House said the Trump administration will pause immigrant visa processing from the 75 countries until the US can ensure that “incoming immigrants will not become a public charge or extract wealth from American taxpayers. AMERICA FIRST.” “The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” the State Department said in a post on X Wednesday. It added that it will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. "The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people. The pause impacts dozens of countries – including Somalia, Haiti, Iran, and Eritrea – whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival. “We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused. The Trump administration will always put America First," the State Department added.