The Trump Administration has risen yet another barrier for foreign nationals to immigrate to the United States. Beginning on Jan. 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of State will indefinitely pause the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries. The countries are:
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*.
*Currently included on full travel ban list
**Currently included on partial travel ban list
What This Means
Immigrant visa applicants from the affected countries may continue to file applications and attend interviews at U.S Embassies. However, the State Department will not issue the immigrant visa stamp.
Who Is Affected
Foreign nationals of the affected countries who are the beneficiaries of an immigrant visa application, i.e., those who are applying for permanent residency in the United States, which includes immediate family members of U.S. citizens (spouses and minor children). It should also be noted that some of the listed countries are already under full or partial travel bans, so this policy would only have a measurable effect on the few people who may qualify for an exception to the those travel bans.
Who Is Not Affected
Dual nationals with a passport from a non-affected country will continue to be issued immigrant visas. Nonimmigrant visa applications, (e.g. B-1/B-2 tourists, and H-1B, J-1, L-1, O-1, etc. workers and their dependent family members) are not impacted by this new policy.
The State Department announced it is conducting a comprehensive review of its policies and regulations to ensure immigrants — particularly those from what it identifies as “high risk” countries — are financially self-sufficient and do not rely on U.S. public assistance programs. It is not yet clear what form this reassessment will take, given that intending immigrants are already required to demonstrate adequate financial support before being issued immigrant visas under current federal regulations.
As of this announcement, the pause on the issuance of immigrant visas only applies to individuals who are filing their applications from outside the United States. As of now, there has been no pause on the adjudication of adjustment of status applications (i.e., Form I-485) for foreign nationals in the United States, aside for those filed by applicants from one of the 40 countries listed in the January 1, 2026, USCIS policy memorandum.
Harris Beach Murtha’s Immigration Practice Group continues to actively monitor developments and review emerging adjudication trends. We expect additional guidance to be released, but until there are clear procedures for requesting exceptions or moving cases forward, strategic case-by-case analysis is essential. If you have questions or concerns about how this policy may impact you or your family or business, please contact attorney L.J. D’Arrigo at (518) 701-2770 and ldarrigo@harrisbeachmurtha.com; attorney Marissa Rosenberg at (617) 457-4024 and mrosenberg@harrisbeachmurtha.com; or the Harris Beach Murtha attorney with whom you most frequently work.
This alert is not a substitute for advice of counsel on specific legal issues.
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