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15th January 2026
10:36am GMT
The US is set to suspend visa processing for 75 countries in a move that could affect around 2.1 billion people worldwide.
The decision comes as a continued push from Donald Trump's government to tackle immigration in the country.
The Department of State said the pause will bring "an end to the abuse of America's immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people".
It added that "Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits."
The halting of visa processing is set to begin on 21 January.
The suspension will only target immigrant visas and will not affect those seeking non-immigrant, temporary tourist, or business visas.
Spokesperson for the Department of State, Tommy Pigott, said that the suspension will not affect fans travelling to the US for the 2026 World Cup since most will be on short-term tourist visas.
He said: "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."
The memo directs U.S. embassies to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses its procedures.
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