The U.S. State Department is suspending immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Nigeria, starting January 21, as it ramps up reviews to identify potential “public charges”, individuals likely to rely heavily on taxpayer-funded benefits.
This indefinite pause targets nations including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and Yemen. Consular officers will use the time to refine screening protocols amid rising concerns over benefit fraud.
The decision follows a high-profile scandal in Minnesota, where Somali nationals and Somali-Americans were implicated in widespread abuse of public assistance programs funded by taxpayers.
In November 2025, the State Department reportedly sent guidance to consular posts worldwide instructing officers to enforce stricter screening under the long-standing “public charge” provision.
The rules allow visas to be denied based on factors such as age, health, English proficiency, finances, and potential need for long-term care.
“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,”
State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott told Fox News. “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
Full List of Countries Affected
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, 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.
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