KATHMANDU, Jan 15: The US has announced an indefinite pause on immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries—including Nepal—beginning January 21, as Washington moves to tighten screening under the “public charge” provision of immigration law.
Citing a State Department memo first obtained by the Fox News, a prominent US media outlet, said US consular officers worldwide have been instructed to refuse immigrant visas under existing law while the State Department reassesses its screening and vetting procedures. The freeze will remain in place until the reassessment is completed.
Among the countries affected from South Asia are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Pakistan in addition to Nepal. India, Maldives and Sri Lanka are not affected due to this new decision.
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The move is part of a broader effort by the US administration to prevent the entry of immigrants deemed likely to become a “public charge”—a legal standard that allows authorities to deny visas to applicants expected to rely on public benefits. A State Department cable circulated in November 2025 instructed consular officers to apply stricter screening criteria, weighing factors such as health, age, English proficiency, financial resources and the potential need for long-term medical care.
According to the Fox News report, applicants who are older, overweight, have previously used government cash assistance, or have a history of institutional care could face denial under the tightened interpretation.
“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said in a statement cited by Fox News. He added that immigration from the 75 countries would be paused while procedures are reassessed to prevent abuse of welfare and public benefits.
Somalia has drawn particular scrutiny following a major fraud scandal in Minnesota involving taxpayer-funded benefit programmes, which prosecutors say included significant participation by Somali nationals or Somali-Americans, the report noted.
While the “public charge” provision has existed for decades, its enforcement has varied across US administrations. Former president Donald Trump expanded the definition in 2019 to include a wider range of public benefits, a move that was later rolled back under the Biden administration. The current pause signals a return to stricter enforcement, with officials saying exceptions will be “very limited” and only granted after applicants clear public charge considerations.
The full list of countries affected includes Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, 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.
The pause is expected to have significant implications for thousands of prospective immigrants from Nepal and other affected countries who were awaiting visa processing in the coming weeks.
