US bans immigrant visas for 75 countries

17-Jan-2026

.

In a bid to intensify the crackdown on legal immigrants, the US has announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing in 75 countries, beginning January 21, the State Department announced on Jan 14 (US time). 

However, some countries on the list of 75 nations have surprised people and led to questions regarding the criteria used to devise it.

While the inclusion of nations like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Libya, Iran, Myanmar, Sudan, and others embroiled in conflicts, or known for sending problematic migrants to the US seems logical, what has puzzled many is the presence of relatively prosperous countries such as Kuwait, or those with positive global reputations, like Thailand and Bhutan, along with some Balkan states. Even Brazil came as a surprise entry on the list to many.