Trump admin gives positive update on visa processing freeze; 15 countries get big relief

The Trump administration has reassured thousands after announcing an indefinite suspension of processing immigrant visas for people from 75 countries

Published on: Jan 17, 2026, 01:30:42 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Trump administration has reassured thousands after announcing an indefinite suspension of processing immigrant visas for people from 75 countries last week. The move will come into effect on January 21. It applies to people seeking to live and work permanently in the US. However, dual nationals with a passport of a country not affected, according to the State Department.

Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One (Bloomberg)

Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that the visa freeze is aimed an ending ‘the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people’.

Immediately after the visa processing freeze was first announced, thousands of soccer fans who have booked tickets to attend the FIFA World Cup in the US and Mexico this year panicked. However, the State Department has offered an explanation. Out of the 75 countries in the list, 15 are due to participate in the tournament.

They are: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Algeria, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Iran, Jordan, Senegal, Tunisia, Uruguay, and Uzbekistan.

A State Department spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “This action applies to the issuance of immigrant visas only, and does not apply to nonimmigrant visas, such as those for tourists, athletes and their families, and media professionals intending to travel for the World Cup.”

Full list of countries affected by the suspension

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Antigua and Barbuda

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belize

Bhutan

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Brazil

Cambodia

Cameroon

Cape Verde

Colombia

Congo

Cuba

Dominica

Egypt

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Fiji

Gambia

Georgia

Ghana

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Haiti

Iran

Iraq

Ivory Coast

Jamaica

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kosovo

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Lebanon

Liberia

Libya

Moldova

Mongolia

Montenegro

Morocco

Myanmar

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

Yemen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.