State Department Suspends Immigrant Visas for Nationals of 75 Countries Citing "Public Charge" Risk

Effective January 21, 2026 and announced January 14, the State Department halted immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries deemed "high public-charge risk"—spanning Africa, South Asia, Caribbean, and Middle East regions, including Somalia, Haiti, Ethiopia, Cuba, and Nigeria. Family- and employer-sponsored petitions could still be filed but no consular interviews would be scheduled. No end date was set. Legal advocates called it a reconstituted travel ban exceeding struck-down 2020 "public charge" rules.