The U.S. State Department said it will suspend immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including several in Latin America such as Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Uruguay, and Brazil.
In announcing the move, the department said the policy targets countries whose immigrants it claims are more likely to rely on public assistance after arriving in the United States. Officials said migrants from the affected countries have abused U.S. social welfare programs, framing the decision as a measure to protect taxpayers.
The policy is scheduled to take effect Jan. 21 and applies only to immigrant visas, which are issued to people seeking permanent residency, or green cards. It does not apply to nonimmigrant visas, including those for tourism, business travel, or temporary work, which account for the majority of visa applications.
The announcement comes as U.S. officials anticipate a rise in nonimmigrant visa demand ahead of major international events hosted by the country, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
In a statement, the administration said the measure is intended to curb what it described as abuse of the U.S. immigration system, citing long-standing authority to deny visas to applicants deemed likely to become a “public charge.”
The affected countries span Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. They include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, 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, 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.
