The U.S. Department of State (DOS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have implemented a series of coordinated immigration measures, including expanded visa and entry restrictions, a pause on immigrant visa issuance, and enhanced review of pending immigration benefit applications for certain foreign nationals. These actions follow recent presidential directives emphasizing national security, rigorous vetting, and immigrant financial self-sufficiency.

Expanded Entry and Visa Restrictions (Effective January 1, 2026)

The DOS fully or partially suspended visa issuance and entry for nationals of nationals of 39 countries based on security and information-sharing concerns.

• Suspension of immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance for nationals of 19 countries. These countries include: Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, as well as those traveling with documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.
• Suspension of visitor, student, exchange visitor, and immigrant visas for nationals of an additional 19 countries. These countries include: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
• Turkmenistan is subject to a partial suspension for immigrant visas

These restrictions generally apply only to individuals outside the United States who did not hold a valid visa as of January 1, 2026. No previously issued visas have been revoked.

Limited exceptions apply, including for lawful permanent residents, dual nationals using a non-restricted passport, certain diplomatic visas, Special Immigrant Visa applicants, and select national-interest cases.

Pause on Immigrant Visa Issuance for Public Benefits Review (Effective January 21, 2026)

Separately, the DOS has paused immigrant visa issuance for nationals of approximately 75 countries identified as high-risk for potential reliance on U.S. public benefits. This review reflects policy priorities regarding immigrant self-sufficiency. A list of the impact countries can be found at Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of U.S. Public Benefits Reliance.

Key takeaways:

• Immigrant visa applicants may continue to apply and attend interviews
• Cases are not denied or revoked due to the pause; final issuance is temporarily delayed
• Tourist and other nonimmigrant visas are not affected
• Dual nationals using a non-listed passport are exempt
• Adoption cases involving U.S. citizens may qualify for exceptions, including National Interest Exceptions

USCIS Hold and Review of Pending Immigration Benefit Applications

In parallel with DOS actions, USCIS issued a Policy Memorandum directing officers to place an adjudicative hold on all pending immigration benefit applications filed by or on behalf of individuals from additional high-risk countries designated under Presidential Proclamation 10998 – “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States”. While applications may continue through processing, final adjudication is suspended pending enhanced national security, identity, and fraud review. USCIS is also re-reviewing certain benefits approved on or after January 20, 2021.

The policy subjects family-based immigration cases to the same scrutiny as other benefit requests and authorizes interviews or re-interviews where necessary. Limited exceptions apply, including certain document replacement applications, specific employment authorization categories, law-enforcement-related cases, national-interest cases, and select benefits connected to major international sporting events.

What Applicants Should Know

Applicants subject to either measure may still see case activity, including interviews, but final visa issuance or entry may be delayed or restricted unless an exception applies.

Please reach out to us for a checklist of countries that are impacted by the Proclamations. Our firm continues to monitor implementation closely. If you are affected by these changes or believe you may qualify for an exemption or national-interest exception, we recommend seeking individualized legal guidance.

U.S. consulates worldwide are undergoing heightened vetting and increased security reviews, which are directly impacting the scheduling of visa appointments. Interview dates are being canceled, moved, or significantly delayed — even for applicants who already had confirmed appointments on the calendar. Consular posts continue to adjust operations in response to new screening protocols, and these changes are being reported across multiple regions. Because of this instability in consular operations, we strongly recommend that foreign nationals avoid international travel unless absolutely necessary, particularly if obtaining a new valid visa stamp is required for return.

USCIS has likewise announced increased review for certain applicants. Under the agency’s December 2, 2025 memorandum, immigration benefit requests filed by individuals who are citizens of, or were born in, one of the 19 countries identified in the recent presidential proclamation are subject to additional scrutiny. Even previously approved benefits may be re-reviewed or paused, which can lead to further delays, new Requests for Evidence, or updated background checks. This is consistent with broader government efforts to expand security vetting and interagency review.

Applicants should expect that additional documentation may now be requested, including proof of current residence, updated biographical information, or social-media identifiers, consistent with the State Department’s expanded vetting procedures. For applicants in certain visa categories — including H-1B, F-1, J-1, and H-4 — consulates are requiring social-media accounts to be switched to “public” several days before the interview to allow full vetting. Processing times may lengthen substantially, and cases that once moved predictably may now require more flexibility. These delays are not limited to any one visa category, and they are affecting both nonimmigrant and immigrant visa processing at consular posts worldwide.

Finally, for immigrant-visa cases, even when the National Visa Center (NVC) has already deemed a case “documentarily complete,” consulates may not be able to schedule an interview for several months due to reduced capacity and increased vetting. Applicants should be prepared for long wait times for interview availability and should adjust travel plans or expectations accordingly. Please check back here for additional information and updates.