Immigrant visa pause for individuals from 75 ‘high-risk’ countries does not include tourist, temporary...

Key Highlights

• “President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans.
• The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilise welfare in the United States or become a public charge,” the State Department said in a statement.
• Effective January 21, the Department of State is pausing all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of countries including Afghanistan, Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Bhutan, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia.
• Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Somalia, Syria, Thailand, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
• The department said that the pause does not apply to tourist visas and is specifically for immigrant visa applicants.