US freezes all visa processing for 75 countries

The US State Department is pausing all immigration visa processing for 75 countries in an effort to crack down on applicants deemed likely to become a public charge, Report informs via Fox News.

A State Department memo, seen first by Fox News Digital, directs consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures.

The countries include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen and more.

The pause will begin on January 21 and will continue indefinitely until the department conducts a reassessment of visa processing.