The U.S. government has announced a suspension of visa processing for Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, and 72 other countries, effective January 21.
According to a memo cited by journalists on Wednesday, all U.S. consular officers have been directed to halt visa issuance for a total of 75 nations. The list includes Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen and others.
State Department spokesperson, Tommy Piggott, explained that the pause will allow the department to reassess immigration processing procedures. “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who may rely on welfare or public benefits”, he said.
The move comes amid President Donald Trump’s renewed focus on immigration, a central theme of his 2024 re-election campaign, part of a broader strategy to tighten border security and control the flow of immigrants entering the U.S.
The State Department has not provided a timeline for when visa processing will resume, emphasizing that the pause is “temporary” while procedures are reviewed and strengthened.
The decision has already sparked concern among diaspora communities and advocacy groups, who argue that the policy could unfairly target certain nations and complicate legal migration.
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