The US plans to suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries whose nationals President Donald Trump’s administration says are likely to require public assistance.
The list includes Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, as well as a number of other European, African, Latin American and Caribbean nations.
Consular officers have been told to halt immigrant visa applications from the countries affected in accordance with an order from November that tightened rules around immigrants who might become “public charges.”
This step also builds on earlier immigration and travel bans by the Trump administration on nearly 40 countries.
The new visa processing suspensions will begin January 21, but won’t apply to temporary tourist, business or other non-immigrant visas.
Demand for non-immigrant visas is expected to rise dramatically in the coming months and years due to the upcoming 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, both of which the US will host or co-host.
However, a separate notice has been sent to US embassies and consulates saying that non-immigrant visa applicants should also be screened for the possibility that they might seek public benefits — regardless of their country of origin.
The notice, seen by The Associated Press, said that it is up to applicants to prove that they would not apply for public benefits while in the US. It said consular officers who suspect the applicant might apply should require them to fill out a form proving their financial status.
The message to consular officials also said they must consider a range of specific details about people seeking visas, including their age, health, family status, finances, education, skills and any past use of public assistance.
It also said they should assess applicants’ English proficiency and can do so by conducting interviews in English.
