ISLAMABAD: The United States Department of State has implemented anindefinite suspension on the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals ofPakistan and 74 other countries, effective January 21, 2026. This sweepingmeasure, announced on January 14, 2026, targets applicants deemed at highrisk of becoming a public charge, meaning potential reliance on U.S. publicbenefits. The policy halts all green card processing through consularchannels abroad while a comprehensive review of immigration regulationsproceeds. Applicants from affected nations, including Pakistan, may stillfile applications and attend interviews, but no visas will be stamped orissued during the pause.
The decision stems from heightened enforcement of the public chargeinadmissibility ground under U.S. immigration law. Officials argue thatnationals from these 75 countries exhibit elevated rates of public benefitsusage, prompting the need to safeguard American resources. The StateDepartment emphasized that the pause ensures future immigrants demonstratefinancial self-sufficiency, aligning with broader administration prioritieson legal immigration controls. This action affects family reunification,employment opportunities, and diversity lottery winners, potentiallydisrupting thousands of pending cases worldwide.
All immigrant visa categories fall under the suspension without exceptionfor specific sub-types. Family-sponsored visas, encompassing immediaterelatives such as spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of U.S.citizens aged 21 or older, are fully impacted. Preference categories,including unmarried adult sons and daughters of citizens, spouses andchildren of permanent residents, married sons and daughters, and siblingsof citizens, face the same halt. No distinctions are drawn betweenimmediate relative and family preference petitions in the guidance.
Employment-based immigrant visas are equally affected across all prioritylevels. Priority workers with extraordinary ability, outstanding professorsand researchers, and multinational executives encounter delays.Professionals holding advanced degrees or demonstrating exceptionalability, along with skilled workers, professionals, and other workers,cannot receive issuance. Special immigrants and employment creationinvestors under the EB-5 program are also included in the comprehensivepause, blocking consular processing for these pathways.
The Diversity Visa program, which allocates visas through an annual lotteryto promote migration from underrepresented countries, experiencessignificant disruption. Winners from the listed nations, includingPakistan, will not have their immigrant visas issued during the suspension.This could jeopardize fiscal year allocations if the pause extends beyondprocessing deadlines, leaving many selected entrants without a path topermanent residency through this mechanism.
Other consular immigrant classifications, such as returning resident visasand certain special immigrant categories processed abroad, remain subjectto the issuance ban. The policy does not differentiate by case type orpriority date; the blanket restriction applies uniformly to all immigrantvisa applicants holding nationality from the designated countries. Dualnationals presenting a valid passport from a non-listed country qualify forexemption, preserving their eligibility.
Nonimmigrant visas remain unaffected by this directive. Categories such astourist and business visitors, students, exchange visitors, specialtyoccupation workers, and intracompany transferees continue normalprocessing. Previously issued immigrant visas retain validity for entry ifwithin their expiration period. Adjustment of status applications fileddomestically with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are notimpacted, as the pause targets only overseas consular issuance.
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The list of 75 affected countries includes diverse regions, spanning SouthAsia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Pakistanjoins nations such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Russia,Syria, and Yemen, among others like Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Haiti, andMorocco. The inclusion reflects statistical assessments of public benefitsdependency risks, though specific data metrics have not been publiclydetailed in the announcement.
Immigration experts anticipate prolonged uncertainty for affected familiesand employers. The indefinite nature of the pause, tied to the outcome ofthe ongoing policy review, leaves no fixed resumption timeline. Applicantsfrom Pakistan and similar countries face extended backlogs in family andemployment sponsorships, potentially exacerbating humanitarian concerns incases of immediate relatives. Legal challenges to the measure may emerge,questioning its scope and justification under existing statutes.
This development underscores evolving U.S. immigration enforcementstrategies emphasizing economic self-reliance. As the review progresses,further guidance may clarify reinstatement criteria or introduce targetedexemptions. For now, the suspension represents one of the broadestrestrictions on legal permanent residency pathways in recent history,directly influencing migration patterns from high-risk designatednationalities.
Source:https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/immigrant-visa-processing-updates-for-nationalities-at-high-risk-of-public-benefits-usage.html
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