The US State Department has announced a indefinite pause in immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, a measure that will come into effect on January 21. This decision aims to re-evaluate entry procedures and visa requirements for the nationalities concerned.
A large-scale measure
The suspension concerns an extensive list of countries, including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen. According to an internal State Department memo, consular officers have been instructed to refuse visas under existing law while the administration re-examines screening methods.
Selection criteria and applicant profile
The new guidelines on entry requirements are particularly strict. To determine whether an applicant is at risk of being refused entry to the United States, consular officers will take into account :
- Health and age
- English skills and personal finance.
- Aid history any past use of government financial assistance or previous institutionalization will be penalized.
A complete list of 75 nationalities has been published. Citizens of the following countries are now affected by this new directive
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua & Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of 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, Northern Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of 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.
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