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US suspends visa processing for 75 countries from Jan 21; who all are affected? Full list here
The Trump administration will halt visa processing for visitors from 75 nations starting January 21, affecting countries like Somalia, Russia, and Iran.
The Trump administration is halting all visa processing for visitors from 75 nations beginning January 21, reported Fox News on Wednesday, citing a memo from the US State Department.
Somalia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria, and Thailand are among the countries impacted by the new move, according to the report.
Consular officials have been instructed to deny visa applications until the screening and vetting processes are reevaluated. No specific timeline was mentioned.
The decision effectively closes the door to new travel to the United States for over a third of the nearly 200 countries worldwide.
Who all are affected?
The full list of countries comprises of 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.
Trump vows to ‘pause’ immigration
This reported suspension occurs amidst the extensive immigration enforcement efforts undertaken by Republican US President Donald Trump since he assumed office last January.
In November, Trump pledged to “permanently pause” immigration from all “Third World Countries” following a shooting incident near the White House involving an Afghan national that resulted in the death of a National Guard member.
Furthermore, he has initiated the termination of deportation protections for Somalis as part of a wider deportation initiative in Minnesota, which is home to thousands from that nation.
“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the US and exploit the generosity of the American people,” stated State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott in a statement released on Wednesday.
The Trump administration had previously enacted significantly stricter regulations in addition to a visa-screening process that has long been recognized as one of the most rigorous globally. Last year, the administration mandated that officers examine applicants’ social media accounts for indications of anti-US sentiments.
