US Pauses Immigrant Visas From 75 Countries
The US State Department has ordered an indefinite pause on issuing immigrant visas to citizens of 75 countries starting January 21, 2026, while it reassesses procedures used to determine whether applicants are likely to become a 'public charge,' Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) reports. The suspension affects a number of Caribbean nations and applies only to immigrant visas leading to permanent residence; non-immigrant visas for tourism, study and business — including travel for the World Cup in the United States — are not covered by the pause.
The US State Department has announced an indefinite pause on issuing immigrant visas to citizens of 75 countries beginning January 21, 2026, VINO reported. The department says the move will give officials time to reassess procedures used to determine whether applicants are likely to become a 'public charge.' The suspension applies only to immigrant visas — those that lead to permanent residence such as employment- or family-based green cards — and does not affect non-immigrant visas for temporary travel, study or business, VINO and State Department statements make clear.
Officials have explicitly said tourist and student visas will continue to be processed, so short-term travel for events such as the upcoming World Cup in the United States should not be blocked by the measure. Guidance issued with the pause instructs consular officers to deny immigrant visas to applicants judged likely to become a 'public charge.' Factors listed for consideration include age, health, financial resources, English proficiency and potential long-term medical needs.
The guidance also notes that prior receipt of government assistance or institutional care may weigh against an applicant, VINO reported. The announcement follows increased scrutiny under the 'public charge' provision that the State Department directed last year, a shift cited by VINO in its coverage.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott was quoted telling Fox News that '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,' according to VINO's report of the media statements.
Caribbean countries named among the 75 affected include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. VINO published the full list of affected countries, which also spans Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America: 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.
For residents of the British Virgin Islands, the change could affect anyone sponsoring relatives for US permanent residence or BVI residents from the affected countries seeking to emigrate to the United States. The US Embassy in Bridgetown, which handles consular matters for the Eastern Caribbean, and the Department of State are the primary sources for updates.
BVI residents planning to sponsor relatives or apply for immigrant visas should gather strong financial documentation, consider evidence of private insurance or sponsor support, and consult an immigration attorney if possible. The department has said exceptions to the pause will be rare and granted only after applicants pass the public charge assessment.
The move underscores a broader, global reassessment of immigration screening and will be watched closely across the Caribbean; residents are advised to monitor official State Department and US Embassy notices and follow reporting from local outlets such as VINO for developments.
Primary source: VINO