The United States will not issue visas to Russians and citizens of 74 other countries.

The State Department is suspending immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries due to concerns that applicants from these countries could become recipients of social assistance, according to reports. Fox News.

A State Department memo directs consular officers to deny visas based on current law while the State Department reviews its screening and selection procedures.

The full list of countries has not yet been published, but it certainly includes Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen, and others.

On the subject: Residents of one post-Soviet country will have to pay a $15,000 deposit for a US visa.

The visa suspension will begin on January 21 and will remain in effect indefinitely until the review of the immigrant visa processing system is completed.

This decision is directly related to the public charge rule. Back in November 2025, the State Department sent a telegram to US diplomatic missions worldwide instructing consular officers to implement new, stringent screening rules under the so-called public charge provision of immigration law.

The guidance states that visas should be refused to applicants who are considered likely to receive public assistance, taking into account a wide range of factors, including health, age, English language proficiency, financial situation, and even the potential need for long-term medical care.

Visas may be denied to elderly applicants, those who are overweight, or those who have previously received government financial assistance or have been in long-term government care, including those who have lived in nursing homes or psychiatric institutions.

"The State Department will use its authority to deem inadmissible potential immigrants who would burden the United States and abuse the generosity of the American people," said State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott. "Immigration from these 75 countries will be suspended while immigration processing procedures are reviewed to prevent entry of foreign nationals who rely on social security benefits and government assistance."

Although the "public charge" provision has been in existence for several decades, its application has varied considerably across administrations, with consular officers traditionally given wide discretion.

Exceptions to the new suspension will be extremely limited and only possible after the applicant passes a public-burden test.

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) long allowed consular officers to find applicants inadmissible to the United States based on the public charge rule, but President Donald Trump expanded this definition in 2019 to include a broader range of public benefits. These changes were challenged in court, with some provisions blocked, after which the Biden administration rescinded the expansion.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

The 2022 version of the public charge rule, in effect under the Biden administration, narrowed the types of assistance eligible for public charge, limiting it primarily to cash payments and long-term government care, and excluding programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the federal supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC), Medicaid, and housing vouchers.

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