Washington, January 14, 2026: The United States will suspend visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Russia and Iran, starting January 21, while it undertakes a comprehensive review of immigration screening and vetting procedures. India is not included in the suspension, according to details emerging from the decision.
As reported by Fox News, the move has been initiated by the US State Department under existing immigration law provisions that allow consular officers to deny visas to individuals deemed likely to become a “public charge.” The pause will remain in effect indefinitely until the reassessment of visa processing standards is completed.
The public charge standard is used to evaluate whether a non-citizen is likely to become primarily dependent on government assistance. It generally focuses on cash benefits and long-term government-funded institutional care, and does not usually include most non-cash welfare benefits. During the review period, consular officers have been instructed to continue refusing visas under existing legal authority.
The affected countries reportedly span multiple regions. Besides Russia and Iran, the list includes Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Brazil, Thailand and Yemen, among others. Somalia has reportedly attracted particular attention following investigations into alleged large-scale fraud involving taxpayer-funded benefit programmes in Minnesota, with some of those implicated identified as Somali nationals or Somali-Americans.
According to Fox News, a State Department cable circulated to US diplomatic posts worldwide in November 2025 instructed officers to apply expanded screening measures under the public charge provision. These assessments are expected to consider factors such as age, health, financial resources, English-language proficiency and potential need for long-term medical care.
The report also notes that applicants who are older, overweight, or who have previously relied on government cash assistance or institutional care could face a higher risk of visa denial.
While the public charge provision has existed in US immigration law for decades, its enforcement has varied across administrations. The definition was expanded during the presidency of Donald Trump in 2019, before parts of it were rolled back under Joe Biden following legal challenges. Despite these shifts, consular officers continue to exercise broad discretion in applying the standard.
In a statement quoted by Fox News, State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said the department would use its long-standing authority to prevent entry by individuals likely to become a public charge or exploit public benefits, adding that the suspension is aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the US immigration system.
The temporary pause is expected to impact visa applicants across several categories, including students, workers and family-based applicants, even as Indian applicants remain unaffected by the suspension.
