US to Suspend Immigrant Visa Processing for Ghana and 74 Other Countries

The United States is set to suspend immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries beginning January 21, according to a January 14 report by Fox News Digital.

The move is part of a broader effort to prevent immigrants who are considered likely to depend on public assistance from entering the country.

US officials say several Central Asian and Caucasus nations, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia and Georgia were included based on data indicating high visa overstay rates, concerns about welfare dependency, fragile local economies and past issues with fraud. Under stricter “public charge” standards introduced as part of former President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, applicants from these regions are viewed as posing a higher financial risk to US taxpayers, with immigration policy now emphasizing financial independence.

A leaked internal memo from the State Department instructs consular officials to deny visas using existing legal authority while a broader review of screening and vetting procedures is carried out. The memo states that the suspension will remain in place indefinitely until the reassessment is finalized.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said the department will rely on its authority to bar applicants likely to become a financial burden.

“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” Piggott said in a statement.

“Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused whilst the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” he added.

Under the new guidance, consular officers are directed to deny visas to individuals assessed as likely to rely on government support. Factors to be considered include an applicant’s age, health, financial resources, English-language ability and the possibility of needing long-term medical care.

Read Also: Ghanaians to face stricter US visa rules under new policy

Applicants who are older, overweight, or who have previously received government cash assistance or been institutionalised may face rejection under the revised criteria.

Somalia is receiving particular attention following a major fraud case in Minnesota involving misuse of taxpayer-funded welfare programs. Federal prosecutors found that many of those implicated were Somali nationals or Somali-Americans.

The countries affected by the suspension include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote 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, 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.

The State Department said exemptions to the visa freeze will be rare and granted only after applicants successfully pass public charge assessments.