WASHINGTON – United States announced the indefinite suspension of all visa applications from Pakistan, along with 74 other countries, effective January 21.
The major move comes as State Department intensifies screening under the controversial “public charge” rule, aimed at denying visas to anyone deemed likely to rely on America’s welfare or public benefits.
US Visa Ban Countries
- 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
Pakistani applicants, who have long sought U.S. visas for work, study, and family reunification, now face uncertain futures as consular officers are instructed to consider factors like age, health, finances, English proficiency, and potential need for long-term care. Exceptions will be extremely rare.
Officials say the move is part of a broader crackdown targeting countries where applicants are perceived to pose a higher risk of using taxpayer-funded benefits. The decision has sparked alarm and concern in Pakistan, where thousands of hopeful immigrants now face indefinite delays.
This unprecedented halt shows tensions in US immigration policy and leaves Pakistani nationals waiting anxiously for clarity on when visas will resume.
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