Announcement Overview

The Trump administration has declared an indefinite suspension of visa processing for individuals from 75 countries, effective from Wednesday, January 21. This announcement was made by the US State Department through a social media post dated January 15.

This measure is seen as one of the most significant actions by the current US government to limit legal entries into the nation. Experts believe that this directive primarily targets individuals likely to become public charges, indicating those who might rely on government aid for living expenses.

Affected Nations

According to an article from The Guardian, this extensive list includes nations from various global regions, including:

• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Algeria
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Bahamas
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Belize
• Bhutan
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brazil
• Myanmar
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Cape Verde
• Colombia
• Côte 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
• Kyrgyzstan
• Laos
• Lebanon
• Liberia
• Libya
• North Macedonia
• Moldova
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Nepal
• Nicaragua
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Republic of the Congo
• Russia
• Rwanda
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Syria
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Togo
• Tunisia
• Uganda
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Yemen

Exemptions to the Order

It is worth noting that there are exceptions to this order. Exemptions include those with dual citizenship holding a valid passport from a non-restricted country, or if the applicant can show that their travel serves an ‘America First’ national interest. Additionally, if a visa is already approved but not yet printed, consular officers are mandated to deny the application.