The United States Department of State has announced plans to pause visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Nigeria, as part of a sweeping review of immigration screening procedures aimed at reducing welfare dependence.
The pause, which is expected to take effect from January 21, will remain in place indefinitely until the department completes a reassessment of immigrant visa processing standards. The measure will affect applicants from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
Countries listed under the plan include Nigeria, Somalia, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Russia, Brazil and Thailand, among others.
The move follows the release earlier this year of data by President Donald Trump highlighting welfare dependency rates among immigrant households. According to the figures, about 33.3 per cent of Nigerian immigrant households in the United States reportedly received some form of public assistance.
A State Department memo, first reported by Fox News Digital, directed US embassies and consulates to refuse visa applications under existing “public charge” provisions while the review is ongoing. The directive empowers consular officers to rely on current immigration laws to deny visas to applicants considered likely to depend on public benefits.
Under the new guidance, factors such as age, health status, English language proficiency, financial capacity, prior use of government cash assistance, institutionalisation history, and even the potential need for long-term medical care may be weighed against applicants. The memo also noted that older or overweight applicants could face heightened scrutiny.
“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said.
“Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” he added.
In November 2025, the State Department had already instructed diplomatic missions worldwide to enforce stricter screening rules under the public charge provision of immigration law. That guidance required consular officers to apply broader criteria when determining whether an applicant might rely on public assistance in the future.
While the public charge rule has existed in US immigration law for decades, its enforcement has varied across administrations. In 2019, President Trump expanded the interpretation of the provision to cover a wider range of public benefits, giving immigration officials broader discretion to deny visas.
The State Department has not indicated when the reassessment will be completed or whether exemptions will be granted, leaving thousands of prospective travellers, students and families from affected countries facing uncertainty over their immigration plans.
