This article was originally published on CFR.org and updated by NBC News.
The Trump administration announced in January 2026 that it was indefinitely freezing visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, one in a series of immigration restrictions rolled out since President Donald Trump’s return to office. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the visa pause was aimed at people who were likely to be a “public charge”—a term for someone reliant on public benefits for basic needs. A federal court struck down the visa pause in August. That same month, the administration temporarily paused the processing of immigrant visa appointments worldwide for consular officer training, though the pause is not expected to last beyond early to-mid-September.
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