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A general view of the U.S. State Department building in Washington, DC, United States, July 11, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
The State Department explained that applicants from Pakistan and 74 other countries will be allowed to submit immigrant visa applications and attend scheduled interviews during the suspension announced a day earlier.
The United States announced a pause on 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 would take effect January 21, 2026.
“The State Department will suspend the processing of immigrant visas from 75 countries whose migrants receive welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the United States can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” he said in an article on X.
Clarifying the scope of the decision in a Q&A guide posted alongside the new policy on its website, the State Department said applicants can continue the visa process, including attending interviews at U.S. embassies and consulates in their respective countries, but that no immigrant visas will be issued while the pause remains in effect.
The department emphasized that this decision does not revoke immigrant visas already issued, nor does it affect tourist or other nonimmigrant visas. Matters related to admission to the United States, he adds, fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.
Pakistan is part of a long 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 was part of an overall review to ensure immigrants are financially self-sufficient and do not become a public charge. President Trump, he said, has made it clear that new immigrants should not impose a financial burden on American taxpayers.
According to these guidelines, dual nationals who apply with a valid passport from a country not included in the list are exempt from the break. The department also noted that immigrant visa files already approved but not yet printed would be denied under the new policy.
U.S. embassies and consulates have been instructed to continue to schedule immigrant visa appointments for affected nationals, including Pakistanis, although issuance will remain suspended during the review period.
