US to pause immigrant visas from 75 countries over welfare concerns; check full list

The United States will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries beginning January 21, citing concerns that migrants from those nations rely on welfare from American people at what it calls “unacceptable rates”.

In a post on X, the US Department of State said the freeze would remain in place until it can ensure that new immigrants “will not extract wealth from the American people.”

The move affects dozens of countries whose immigrants “often become public charges on the United States upon arrival,” the post said.

The Trump administration “will always put America First,” it added.

A State Department spokesperson said the pause will begin January 21, according to multiple media reports.

“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,” BBC quoted Tommy Pigott, the department’s principal deputy spokesperson, as saying.

Immigrant visa processing from the 75 countries will be halted while the department reassesses procedures “to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” Pigott said.

The suspension does not apply to US visitor visas, which have drawn attention as the United States prepares to host the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Here's the full list of countries, as per Fox News, affected by the visa freeze:

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.

The decision follows a November directive instructing US diplomats to ensure visa applicants are financially self-sufficient and unlikely to become dependent on government subsidies during their stay in the United States.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump shared a chart on his Truth Social account listing countries whose immigrants receive welfare or public assistance in the United States.

The chart, titled “Immigrant welfare recipient rates by country of origin,” covered about 120 countries and territories and showed the share of immigrant households receiving some form of assistance, based on country of birth.

Among those listed were Bangladesh, where 54.8% of immigrant households were shown as receiving assistance; Pakistan at 40.2%; Nepal at 34.8%; China at 32.9%; Ukraine at 42.7%; and Israel/Palestine at 25.9%.

India’s absence from the chart has been linked to income patterns among Indian Americans, who consistently rank among the highest-earning ethnic groups in the United States and show lower reliance on welfare programs compared with many other immigrant groups. Data from the Pew Research Center shows Indian Americans have among the highest median household incomes in the country.