U.S. pauses immigrant visa processing for Nigeria, 74 different nations beginning Jan 21
The US Authorities has introduced the pausing of immigrant visa processing for candidates from about 75 nations, together with Nigeria, beginning January 21, 2026.
The disclosure was made through the official X account of the White Home on Wednesday.
The U.S. authorities stated it took this choice as a result of migrants from the affected nations take welfare from the American individuals “at unacceptable charges.”
It added that the freeze would stay lively till the U.S. might be certain that new immigrants wouldn’t extract wealth from the American individuals.
The pause utilized particularly to immigrant visas and was anticipated to stay in place indefinitely whereas U.S. authorities reassessed immigration processing procedures.
In keeping with the assertion, the freeze would stay lively till america might be certain that new immigrants wouldn’t extract wealth from the American individuals.
“The State Division will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 nations whose migrants take welfare from the American individuals at unacceptable charges. The freeze will stay lively till the U.S. can be certain that new immigrants won’t extract wealth from the American individuals,” the assertion learn partly.
The White Home famous that the pause impacted dozens of nations, together with Somalia, Haiti, Iran, and Eritrea, which it stated had produced immigrants who typically turned public expenses on america upon arrival. It added that the administration was working to make sure that the generosity of the American individuals would not be abused.
Fox Information reported, citing a U.S. State Division memo seen by the outlet, that consular officers had been issued new operational directives whereas the pause was in impact.
In keeping with the memo, officers have been instructed to refuse immigrant visas underneath current regulation because the division reassessed its screening and vetting framework.
The memo stated visa officers have been anticipated to use the “public cost” provision extra strictly, with choices guided by a broader evaluation of candidates’ private circumstances. These included well being circumstances, age, English language means, {financial} capability, and the probability of requiring long-term medical care.
Fox Information added that the steering additionally directed officers to carefully scrutinise candidates with any prior reliance on authorities money help or institutional help, as such histories might weigh towards visa approval underneath the revised strategy.
The directives have been anticipated to form visa adjudication requirements till the reassessment course of was concluded.
In keeping with Fox Information, the visa processing pause utilized to a variety of nations throughout Africa, the Center East, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
The affected nations spanned a number of areas. They included Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, and Burma.
Others have been Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Fiji. The listing additionally coated Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, and Jordan.
Further nations named have been Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Nigeria.
The remaining nations have been Pakistan, the 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.
This newest improvement follows new journey restrictions for Nigerian candidates for B1/B2 (enterprise and tourism) visas, who’re amongst 38 nations required to submit a visa bond of as much as $15,000.
The U.S. Division of State famous on its web site, Journey.State.Gov, that fee of the bond doesn’t assure visa issuance, and any payment paid with out the specific course of a consular officer won’t be refunded.
The requirement is scheduled to take impact on January 21, 2026, simply weeks after partial journey restrictions have been imposed on Nigerian visa candidates. The coverage is a part of a broader visa risk-management framework geared toward nations assessed as high-risk.