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A general view of the US State Department building in Washington, DC, USA, July 11, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
The State Department has explained that applicants from Pakistan and 74 other countries will be able to submit applications for the issuance of immigrant visas and attend scheduled interviews during the suspension announced a day earlier.
The United States announced a pause in issuing immigrant visas for 75 countries, including Pakistan, as part of a broader policy review ordered by President Donald Trump. The State Department said Wednesday that the pause will take effect starting Jan. 21, 2026.
“The State Department will suspend visa processing of immigrants from 75 countries whose immigrants extract wealth from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain in place until the United States can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” he said in a post on X.
Clarifying the scope of the decision in a question-and-answer guide posted alongside the new policy on its website, the State Department said applicants can continue with the visa process, including attending interviews at U.S. embassies and consulates in their respective countries, but no immigrant visas will be issued while the pause remains in effect.
The department emphasized that the measure does not revoke any immigrant visas already issued, nor does it affect tourist visas or other nonimmigrant visas. Matters related to admission to the United States, he added, fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.
Pakistan is among a wide list of affected countries spanning South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. The list includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sudan, Syria, Russia and Brazil.
The State Department said the move is part of a comprehensive review to ensure that immigrants are financially self-sufficient and do not become a public charge. President Trump, it said, has made clear that new immigrants should not be a financial burden on American taxpayers.
According to the guidelines, dual nationals who apply with a valid passport from a country not included in the list are exempt from the pause. The department also noted that immigrant visa cases already approved but not yet printed would be rejected under the new policy.
U.S. embassies and consulates have been ordered to continue scheduling immigrant visa appointments for affected nationals, including Pakistanis, although issuance will remain suspended during the review period.
