US has suspended visa processing for Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen and 72 other countries from January 21.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the United States government has announced an indefinite suspension of visa processing for Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen and 72 other countries as part of a sweeping immigration review ordered by President Donald Trump.
According to a U.S. State Department memo cited by Fox News on Wednesday, consular officers across the globe have been directed to pause visa processing for a total of 75 countries beginning January 21.
“The countries include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen and more,” the report stated.
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Confirming the development, State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said the decision was taken to allow a reassessment of immigration screening procedures.
“Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” Piggott said.
The move follows President Trump’s renewed crackdown on immigration, a central theme of his successful 2024 re-election campaign, which promised stricter border controls and tighter vetting of migrants.
The suspension is expected to affect thousands of visa applicants, including tourists, students, and business travellers from the listed countries.
Full List of Countries affected by the US visa processing suspension:
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.
