New Travel Ban Restrictions Issued by the Trump Administration
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The U.S. Department of State has announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa (green card) processing for nationals of 75 countries, effective January 21, 2026. This pause applies exclusively to immigrant visas and does not affect tourist (B) or student (F) visas. However, it introduces significant delays and uncertainty for individuals seeking permanent residence through U.S. consulates abroad.
According to the Department of State, the suspension is part of a broad reassessment of consular immigrant visa procedures, including:
This initiative has been referenced internally as Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of Public Benefits Usage.
As a result, U.S. consulates serving affected nationalities are expected to halt scheduling and adjudication of immigrant visa interviews until new protocols are finalized.
This development follows the Administration’s implementation of Presidential Proclamation 10998, which took effect on January 1, 2026, and imposed full or partial visa-issuance restrictions on 39 countries. While that proclamation restricted both immigrant and certain nonimmigrant visas, the January 21, 2026 suspension is broader in scope, halting immigrant visa processing entirely for many additional nationalities.
Effective January 21, 2026, immigrant visa issuance is paused for nationals of the following countries:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, 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.
Applicants from affected countries should expect:
Individuals already in the process—or planning to begin—should consult with experienced immigration counsel to evaluate alternative strategies, timing considerations, or eligibility for exemptions.
The attorneys at Abdelhadi & Associates, PC will continue to closely monitor developments and provide updates and guidance as this situation evolves.