New U.S. visa pause affects nearly 40% of the world

New U.S. visa pause affects nearly 40% of the world / Photo: gov.kz, photo editor: Dastan Shanay

On Jan. 14, the U.S. Department of State announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries. The move was attributed to enhanced security and background screening requirements, a reassessment of eligibility criteria.

The suspension applies to immigrant visas, which grant permanent residence, and does not automatically extend to temporary or nonimmigrant visas.

Affected countries

Nurasyl Abdrazakuly, a Kazakh data scientist and a frequent collaborator on our infographics, has mapped the 75 countries where U.S. immigrant visa processing has been suspended.

A visual by Nurasyl Abdrazakuly / Photo: Linkedin.com/posts/nurasyl-abdrazakuly, photo editor: Serikzhan Kovlanbayev

The visualization highlights the broad geographic scope of the decision and the populations potentially affected.

Consequences for applicants

Under the new policy:

New immigrant visa applications from the affected countries are not being processed. Family reunification cases, employment-based immigration and relocation plans are effectively on hold. For many applicants, legal pathways to permanent residence in the U.S. have become indefinite and uncertain.

The State Department has not specified when or under what conditions visa processing may resume.