The United States has announced an indefinite pause on immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, beginning January 21, as part of a broader tightening of immigration screening procedures.

According to a State Department memo, consular officers worldwide have been instructed to halt routine immigrant visa processing while the department reassesses how applicants are screened under existing immigration law.

During this period, visas may be refused under the “public charge” provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The move affects a wide range of countries across Africa, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Officials say the pause will remain in effect indefinitely until the review of vetting and screening procedures is completed.

The public charge provision allows U.S. immigration authorities to deny visas to applicants deemed likely to become dependent on government assistance. Factors considered include age, health, financial resources, employment prospects, English-language proficiency, and potential need for long-term medical care.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the United States Department of State said the pause is intended to prevent abuse of public benefit systems and ensure that immigrants entering the country are financially self-sufficient.

Officials noted that exceptions during the pause will be “very limited” and granted only after applicants clear public charge considerations.

The full list of affected countries 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.