Department of State Announces Temporary Pause on Immigrant Visa Issuance

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has published a policy update titled “Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of Public Benefits Usage,” effective January 21, 2026. This update introduces a temporary pause on immigrant visa issuance at U.S. consulates abroad for nationals of certain countries.

It is important to clarify that this announcement does not suspend immigrant visa applications, interviews, or adjudication processes. Rather, it temporarily pauses only the final step of immigrant visa issuance for affected nationalities.

Countries Covered by the Temporary Pause

The pause applies to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of the following countries:

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.

The official Department of State announcement can be found here:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/immigrant-visa-processing-updates-for-nationalities-at-high-risk-of-public-benefits-usage.html

What This Policy Does — and Does Not — Do

What the policy DOES do:

• Temporarily pauses the issuance of immigrant visas at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad for affected nationalities.

What the policy DOES NOT do:

• It does not prohibit filing immigrant visa applications
• It does not cancel or block consular interviews
• It does not stop USCIS-based filings inside the United States
• It does not revoke previously issued visas or approvals

According to the Department of State’s official FAQ:

“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.”

In practice, this means that cases may proceed through all normal stages, but final visa issuance may be temporarily delayed while the pause remains in effect.

Impact Across Immigration Categories

This policy applies broadly to immigrant visa issuance, regardless of category, including:

• Family-based immigrant visas
• Employment-based immigrant visas
• Diversity-based or other immigrant classifications

However, due to the lengthy timelines involved in most immigrant visa processes, particularly employment-based cases, this pause does not generally create an immediate barrier. In many cases, filing and adjudication will continue well before visa issuance would even become relevant.

Adjustment of Status (AOS) Is Not Affected

Applicants who are lawfully present in the United States and eligible to apply for permanent residence through Adjustment of Status (Form I-485) are not impacted by this Department of State policy. USCIS continues to process AOS applications under existing law.

A Temporary and Changeable Policy

This is a temporary administrative pause, not a permanent rule or statutory change. Immigration policies of this nature may be revised, narrowed, or lifted at any time.

Merit Law LLP continues to closely monitor all Department of State and USCIS developments and will provide timely updates as guidance evolves.

For case-specific advice or immigration strategy planning, please contact Merit Law LLP.