U.S. Suspends Immigrant Visa Processing From 75 Countries

Key Points

• The U.S. has suspended immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, effective January 21, excluding non-immigrant visas.
• The government has implemented new measures including visa bonds, an integrity fee, and proposed stricter requirements for visa waiver travelers.
• Overseas travel to the U.S. has declined for eight consecutive months, with a 2.5% decrease in annual visitation.

Summary

The Trump administration has announced a suspension of immigrant visa processing from 75 countries, starting January 21, as part of broader efforts to tighten U.S. immigration policies. Non-immigrant visas, such as those for tourism and study, are not affected. This follows recent changes including visa bond requirements, a proposed integrity fee, and potential new rules requiring five years of social media history from visa waiver travelers. Overseas travel to the U.S. has continued to decline, marking the eighth straight month of decreased visitation.