Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State will pause immigrant visa processing (permanent residence) for applicants from 75 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, and Russia. 

Key Takeaways  

• The pause applies to immigrant visas (permanent residence) processed at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad.  

• The pause does not affect nonimmigrant visas, such as tourist visas, temporary worker visas or student visas.   

• The pause impacts all categories of immigrant visas, including immediate relatives, family-based and employment-based cases.  

• According to the administration’s announcement, the list of affected countries was determined based on an assessment of the likelihood that applicant from those countries could become a public charge in the United States.  

Background  

• All immigrant visa applicants are required to demonstrate that they are unlikely to become a public charge in the United States.   

• This vetting process is made through the completion of required application forms and the consular officer’s discretionary assessment during the visa interview.  

• A broad pause in the issuance of immigrant visas has occurred only once before, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and lasted approximately 60 days.   

• The administration has stated that the current pause is intended to strengthen the vetting process for identifying applicants who may be a risk of becoming a public charge.  

Implementation of This Pause  

• The pause will apply to immigrant visa cases that remain pending as of January 21, 2026.  

• According to the Department of State’s announcement, interviews will continue to be scheduled.  

• However, no immigrant visas will be issued while the pause is in effect.  

Recommendations  

• If your case is not yet complete, continue submitting all required documents to finalize your application or petition.  

• If you have an interview scheduled, attend the interview as planned and provide all requested information.  

• If your interview has not yet occurred, prepare in advance and attend once scheduled.  
• Although cases will be paused, we recommend completing all required steps and remaining prepared while awaiting further guidance on when the pause may be lifted.