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A general view of the US State Department building in Washington, DC, United States, July 11, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
The State Department has 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 in issuing immigrant visas to 75 nations, including Pakistan, as part of a broader policy review ordered by President Donald Trump. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that the break will take effect from 21 January 2026.
“The State Department will freeze immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take 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,” a post on X read.
Clarifying the scope of the decision in a Q&A guide released alongside the new policy on its website, the State Department said applicants can continue with the visa process, including attending interviews at US embassies and consulates in their respective countries, but no immigrant visas will be issued while the pause remains in effect.
The department emphasized that the move does not revoke any immigrant visas already issued, nor does it affect tourist visas or other nonimmigrant visas. Matters related to admission to the United States, it added, fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.
Pakistan is among a wide 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 measure is part of a comprehensive review to ensure immigrants are financially self-sufficient and do not become a public burden. President Trump, it said, has made it clear that new immigrants must not place a financial burden on American taxpayers.
According to the guidance, dual nationals applying with a valid passport from a country not on the list are exempt from the break. The department also noted that immigrant visa cases already approved but not yet discharged would be denied under the new policy.
U.S. embassies and consulates have been instructed to continue scheduling immigrant visa appointments for affected nationals, including Pakistanis, although issuance remains suspended during the investigation period.
