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The US has paused immigrant visa processing for Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and 72 more countries, citing welfare concerns. Islamabad hopes the freeze ends soon but with 75 nations affected, what does this mean for families dreaming of a US move?
US suspends visa processing for 75 countries; Pakistan, Russia and Iran among the list
Islamabad: Pakistan has reacted cautiously to the United States’ decision to temporarily pause immigrant visa processing for applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and more than 70 other countries, expressing hope that the suspension will be lifted soon. Islamabad described the move as part of an internal review of US immigration policies.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the government is in touch with US authorities to seek further details on the decision. Calling it an evolving situation, Andrabi said Pakistan hopes that routine visa processing for its citizens will resume at the earliest.
US suspends visa processing for 75 countries; Pakistan, Russia and Iran among the list
“We understand that this is an internal ongoing process of review of US immigration policies and system, and hope that the routine processing of immigrant visas will resume soon,” he said, according to PTI.
The pause on visa processing is the latest measure under former President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration push. The Trump administration said it was suspending immigrant visa processing for countries whose migrants are believed to rely heavily on public assistance after entering the US.
The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.
— Department of State (@StateDept) January 14, 2026
In a statement shared on X, the administration said the freeze would remain in effect until the US could ensure that new immigrants “will not extract wealth from the American people,” reiterating its “America First” approach.
The visa pause applies to 75 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Russia, Nepal, Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Thailand and Yemen, among others. The US State Department said the measure targets countries whose immigrants often become “public charges” upon arrival in the United States.
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According to US officials, the suspension will come into force on January 21 and will remain in place until further notice. Importantly, the freeze applies only to immigrant visas and does not affect non-immigrant categories such as tourist, business or other temporary visas.
The move has sparked concern across several regions, particularly in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa, where thousands of families rely on immigrant visas for reunification and long-term relocation. The decision has also renewed debate over immigration, welfare usage and national priorities in the US.
As uncertainty continues, Pakistan and other affected nations are waiting to see whether the pause is a short-term administrative measure—or the beginning of a more permanent shift in US immigration policy.
