The United States government has announced a partial suspension of visa issuance for nationals of 19 countries, effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
According to a statement by the U.S. Department of State, the decision is in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.” The measure is aimed at addressing identified deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing processes with the affected countries.
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The countries impacted by the partial suspension are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Under the proclamation, the suspension applies to the issuance of non-immigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas. It also covers all categories of immigrant visas.
However, the U.S. government outlined several exemptions to the policy. These include immigrant visas issued to ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with passports from countries not subject to the suspension, and Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for certain employees of the U.S. government. Other exemptions apply to lawful permanent residents of the United States and participants in major international sporting events.
The Department of State clarified that visas already issued before the effective date of the proclamation will not be revoked.
U.S. authorities said the measures are based on national security considerations, including concerns over visa overstay rates and the level of cooperation in identity verification and information-sharing by the affected countries.
Further details on the implementation of the policy are available on the U.S. Department of State’s website and through U.S. embassies and consulates.
