US Halts Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries

The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries starting January 21, affecting permanent relocation while allowing dual nationals with a passport from a non-affected country to apply; non-immigrant visas are unaffected, and there is no announced end date. The move is framed as a reassessment to curb potential welfare dependence and is part of broader immigration restrictions pursued by the administration, amid other measures like travel bans and a historically low refugee admissions cap.