US halts immigrant visa for BD nationals

Staff Reporter :

The United States has paused the issuance of immigrant visas to Bangladeshi nationals.

The decision was announced by the US Embassy in Dhaka in a Facebook post on Monday.

The move took effect on Jan 21, 2026, under a Department of State decision to temporarily halt immigrant visa issuances to countries whose nationals are deemed to have a high rate of reliance on public assistance in the US.

The embassy said the pause does not apply to visitor visas.

Immigrant visa applicants from the affected countries may continue to submit applications and attend scheduled interviews, and visa interviews will still be conducted, it added.

In a statement titled “Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of US Public Benefits Reliance”, the state department said it was conducting a full review of screening and vetting policies.

“President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans,” the statement said, adding that the review aims to ensure that immigrants from high-risk countries “do not unlawfully utilise welfare in the United States or become a public charge.”

The pause applies to immigrant visa applicants from a list of more than 70 countries, including Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia, Egypt, Jordan and several others across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean.

No timeframe was provided for when immigrant visa issuances for the affected countries might resume.

The US Embassy directed applicants to the Department of State website for further details.