US pauses immigrant visas for Bangladesh, 74 other countries

The United States Department of State has suspended the issuance of immigrant visas for citizens of Bangladesh and 74 other countries, effective January 21, 2026.

The United States Embassy Dhaka shared the information in a Facebook post on Sunday, stating that the decision applies to countries whose immigrants to the United States have comparatively higher rates of receiving government assistance.

The suspension does not apply to visitor visas, meaning short-term travel visas will continue to be issued as usual.

The embassy said citizens of the affected countries may still submit immigrant visa applications and attend scheduled interviews, with the State Department continuing to process and schedule appointments.

According to a notice from the State Department, President Donald Trump has emphasized that immigrants should be financially self-reliant and not become a burden on American taxpayers. As part of this policy direction, screening and vetting procedures for nationals of what it described as higher-risk countries are under review.

Countries subject to the immigrant visa suspension include Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Myanmar, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Tanzania, among several dozen others.