Millions of potential immigrants face a new reality as the Trump administration indefinitely suspends visa processing for 75 countries. The decision, rooted in a stricter application of the “public charge” rule, aims to prevent the entry of individuals who may require public assistance. This policy shift turns off the tap for legal migration from vast areas of the globe, affecting citizens from Eastern Europe to the Caribbean.
Taking effect on January 21, the suspension is absolute for those without alternative citizenship. The administration has clarified that travel will only be permitted if it serves a specific “America First” national interest, a high bar that few ordinary immigrants will meet. The directive orders the cessation of visa printing, effectively cancelling approvals that were in the final administrative stages.
This move is one of the most expansive of its kind, affecting countries with diverse relationships to the US. It lumps together steadfast allies and nations with strained diplomatic relations, applying a singular economic filter to all. For families waiting to be reunited, this news comes as a devastating blow, extending separation times indefinitely.
The sheer length of the list underscores the magnitude of the policy. It is not a targeted ban on a specific threat, but a broad exclusionary measure based on economic forecasting of the applicants.
The full list of affected nations includes: 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, and Yemen.