US Freezes Visa Processing for Nigeria and 74 Other Countries

The US State Department is set to pause visa processing for nationals of 75 countries—a move that could significantly impact individuals from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Among the affected nations are Nigeria, Somalia, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Russia, Brazil, and Thailand. This decision targets applicants who are deemed likely to become dependent on public assistance or welfare benefits in the United States. Scheduled to take effect on January 21, the pause is expected to last indefinitely until a comprehensive reassessment of immigrant visa procedures is completed. This policy shift stems from the department’s effort to tighten immigration processes under the "public charge" provision of US immigration law. According to a State Department memo initially reported by Fox News Digital, consular officers have been directed to deny visas to individuals considered at risk of becoming a public burden on US resources. The memo outlines strict evaluation criteria for visa applicants. Factors such as previous reliance on government assistance, long-term medical care needs, age, health conditions (including being overweight), financial stability, and even English language proficiency could be grounds for denial. A spokesperson for the State Department, Tommy Piggott, emphasized the intent behind the new measures: to prevent foreign nationals from entering the United States solely to benefit from welfare programs. Piggott stated that immigration processing would remain on hold for the 75 listed countries while updated screening and vetting procedures are implemented.

This directive expands on longstanding immigration laws, which have historically allowed visa denials based on public charge concerns. While such provisions have been part of US immigration policy for decades, their enforcement has varied significantly from one administration to another. In 2019, under President Donald Trump’s administration, the scope of the "public charge" rule was broadened to include a wider spectrum of public benefits. The revised definition allowed consular officers greater discretion in denying applications based on potential dependency risks. In line with this approach, a November 2025 cable instructed global consulates to apply more rigorous screening standards when processing immigrant visas.

President Trump had previously highlighted welfare statistics among immigrant households, pointing out that approximately 33.3% of Nigerian immigrant families received some form of public assistance. This framing appears to align with broader efforts by his administration to prioritize a "self-sufficiency" standard for immigrants seeking entry into the United States. Although these restrictions are framed as measures to safeguard American resources and ensure fairness in immigration policies, they have sparked debates about their fairness and potential implications for immigrants from vulnerable or marginalized communities. The continued pause on visa processing will likely have a ripple effect across families and individuals aspiring to start a new chapter in the US, emphasizing the complex overlapping of immigration policy and socioeconomic challenges. Photo credit: Instagram-usembassy