The US visa ban has been effectively expanded to include 75 nations on an indefinite suspension list. The Trump administration’s new directive, starting January 21, targets these countries under the “public charge” rule. This expansion represents a major shift in immigration enforcement.
The directive requires consular officers to stop printing visas. Any case not finalized by the deadline is to be refused. This creates a hard stop for applicants, regardless of their individual merits.
The list of countries includes many that have been traditional sources of US immigrants. The policy disrupts established migration patterns and separates families. It is a broad measure designed to reduce the total number of immigrants.
Exceptions are provided for dual nationals of unaffected countries and national interest cases. However, these are expected to be rare.
The countries on this expanded list are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.