USA stops issuing visas for 75 countries
The US State Department is indefinitely suspending all visa processing for 75 countries, including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen and several Balkan states such as Bosnia and Albania.
The move is based on the existing “public charge” rule, which allows refusals if applicants may become dependent on state support. An internal memo instructs consular officials to deny visas until a new screening framework is developed, following stricter criteria introduced in November 2025. Factors now assessed include age, health, English skills, financial stability and the likelihood of long-term medical needs.
One justification for the measure is a major fraud case uncovered in Minnesota, involving a network accused of benefit fraud, with many suspects reportedly of Somali origin.
Only very limited exceptions to the visa halt are foreseen, and only for applicants who fully meet the public charge requirements. The Trump administration broadened the public charge definition in 2019, though courts halted parts of it and the Biden administration later reversed it.
The tightened rules may significantly affect international shipping, as many seafarers from third countries rely on regular crew visas.
The State Department said it will also increasingly cancel existing visas. According to the agency, 100,000 visas were revoked last year—two and a half times the previous year—due to alleged legal violations. A spokesman told Fox News the authority intends to prevent “potential migrants who would (…) take advantage of the generosity of the American people” and instructed embassies to apply the rules more strictly going forward.
Link to full article: https://hansa.news/usa-stops-issuing-visas-for-75-countries/
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