Why Bangladesh, Pakistan are on US immigrant visa freeze list

The United States will put an indefinite pause on issuing immigrant visas for people from 75 countries, including Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The US State Department said Wednesday (January 14) that the ban targets foreigners who it claimed could require public assistance while living in America.

It said the administration wants to bring “an end to the abuse” of the system “by those who would extract wealth from the American people” by using welfare and public benefits. The suspension will begin on January 21.

Which are the affected countries? We take a look.

What are immigrant visas?

An immigrant visa is issued to those seeking to live permanently in the United States. A foreign citizen wishing to move to the US must be sponsored by an immediate relative who is an American citizen or lawful permanent resident, or by a prospective US employer, and have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa, as per the US Embassy & Consulates in India.

The sponsor has to file a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to begin the process.

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On the other hand, a non-immigrant visa (NIV) is issued to a foreign citizen living outside the US who wants to travel to the United States on a temporary basis for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work, or study.

US suspends immigrant visas for 75 countries

The US is suspending immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries.

As per Associated Press (AP), the affected nations include: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, 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.

Several of these countries were already a part of the Trump administration’s expanded travel ban list.

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.

— Department of State (@StateDept) January 14, 2026

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The latest suspension applies to immigrant visas, such as those for employment or those seeking to live with their family in the US.

However, it would not affect non-immigrant visas such as student and tourist visas, which are the most sought after. Demand for non-immigrant visas is expected to skyrocket soon due to the upcoming 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, both of which the US will host or co-host.

The suspension comes after the US State Department last year ordered increased vetting under the “public charge” provision of immigration law that will target those who the Trump administration believes will depend on public resources.

“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, said, as per CNN. 

The department, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will pause the visa processing while it reexamines its procedures “to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits”, Piggott added.

According to the State Department data, the US issued over 600,000 immigrant visas in 2024, most of which were granted to immediate relatives of US citizens or current green card holders.

In November 2025, the US Embassy and consulate officials were directed to properly and thoroughly screen visa applicants to establish that they will not need to rely on public benefits from the government after getting entry into the US.

Immigrants wanting to travel to the US already undergo a medical exam by a physician approved by a US Embassy. They are screened for communicable diseases, like tuberculosis, and have to disclose any history of drug or alcohol use, mental health conditions or violence. They are also mandated to have a number of vaccinations.

Consular officials will now have to consider several details about people seeking visas, including their age, health, family status, finances, education, skills and any past use of public assistance, regardless of the country. They will also assess applicants’ English proficiency, which can be done by conducting interviews in English.

ALSO READ: Trump plans tighter green card rules for citizens of ‘travel ban’ nations: Who will be hit?

Experts say US move not needed

The US under President Donald Trump has been cracking down on immigration, both legal and illegal. This is the latest move to restrict who enters America.

However, the US administration’s claims that immigrants drain government resources are in contrast to studies from the Cato Institute, the American Immigration Council and other groups, which have found that immigrants use fewer benefits than US-born Americans, reported AP. 

David Leopold, a Cleveland-based immigration lawyer and partner at Thompson Hine, questioned the need for such an indefinite pause when federal immigration law already calls for extensive vetting to bar applicants who could become dependents on the welfare system.

“I’m not sure what the utility of banning immigrant and non-immigrant visas is — we already have extraordinary vetting programs,” Leopold told AP. “The way the law is already written, it’s designed to prevent people who are going to be an economic burden on the country from coming in.”

The administration has already imposed stricter vetting rules for foreigners and those who want to live in the US.

The State Department has enhanced restrictions on travel of people from countries Trump has deemed a threat to national security, including Russia, Iran and Afghanistan and African nations.

This came after an immigrant from Afghanistan was charged in November in the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC.

With inputs from agencies