ALMATY – The United States will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Kazakhstan, starting Jan. 21, the U.S. State Department announced on Jan. 14.
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The measure is said to apply to countries whose citizens are considered by the administration to have high rates of reliance on public assistance after immigrating to the U.S.
“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,” the department said in a statement posted on X.
The suspension does not affect non-immigrant visas, including tourist, business, student, and other temporary travel documents, the Associated Press reported on Jan. 15.
From Central Asia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Uzbekistan are included in the suspension, while in the South Caucasus, it applies to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The list also includes countries from across Eastern Europe and the wider Eurasian region, such as Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Montenegro.
The suspension spans a wide geographic area beyond Eurasia. A significant number of affected countries are in Africa, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. In the Middle East, the list includes Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen and Jordan.
Several Asia-Pacific countries are also covered, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan and Thailand. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the suspension affects countries, such as Colombia, Cuba, Haiti, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, among others.
According to the Associated Press, demand for nonimmigrant visas is expected to rise sharply in the coming months and years, particularly for major international events hosted by the U.S., including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Officials stressed that the measure targets only immigrant visas intended for permanent residency. The department did not specify how long the suspension will remain in effect, noting that it will stay in place until additional safeguards are introduced to evaluate the long-term economic impact of new immigrants.
