U.S. State Department Pauses Immigrant Visa Processing for Citizens of 75 Countries
On Jan. 14, 2026, the U.S. State Department they are pausing visa issuance for immigrant (permanent resident) visa applications for nationals of 75 countries.
This processing pause does not apply to nonimmigrant visa applications, although of the 75 countries listed, there are currently existing travel restrictions which may separately impact the ability to obtain a nonimmigrant visa.
This visa pause does not apply to people in the U.S. who are working with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, although for citizens of the countries with travel restrictions, there is currently a separate pause on benefit processing which may delay the adjudication of applications.
Our team is here to provide support and guidance, so if you have questions or concerns about how this policy guidance may impact you, please do not hesitate to contact OIE at oie@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-5231.