The U.S. Department of State shocked consular posts worldwide on January 14, 2026, when it ordered an immediate pause on immigrant-visa adjudications for citizens of 75 countries. In a classified telegram sent to chiefs-of-mission and later confirmed to the press, Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed consular officers to refuse all new immigrant-visa applications filed on or after January 21 while Washington “re-assesses screening protocols for applicants likely to become a public charge.” Non-immigrant visas—including business (B-1), visitor (B-2) and work categories—are not affected. (apnews.com)
The move revives an obscure nineteenth-century provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows the government to bar entrants deemed likely to rely on public assistance. Although previous administrations deployed the rule sparingly, the Trump administration has steadily expanded the public-charge doctrine since 2025, arguing that it protects U.S. taxpayers and deters irregular migration. Critics counter that the measure is a de-facto wealth test that disproportionately affects applicants from the Global South and fractures family-reunification pipelines. (reuters.com)
For applicants and employers scrambling for alternatives, VisaHQ can be a practical ally. The company’s U.S. visa portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) tracks real-time consular updates, outlines substitute routes such as L-1, E-2 and O-1 classifications, and connects users with vetted immigration counsel. By consolidating policy alerts and document checklists in one place, VisaHQ helps families, HR teams and attorneys pivot quickly while Washington revisits its public-charge standards.
![State Department Halts Immigrant Visas From 75 Countries Over “Public-Charge” Concerns]()
Countries subject to the suspension stretch across every region—from Afghanistan, Iran and Russia to Nigeria, Brazil and Thailand—amounting to roughly one third of the world’s population. Immigrant-visa applicants already scheduled for interviews will receive cancellation notices; those whose cases are documentarily qualified at the National Visa Center will see their files frozen indefinitely. The State Department has not provided an appeal mechanism or a clear end-date, stating only that “processing will resume once revised guidance is issued.” (ft.com)
For corporations, the impact is immediate. Multinational employers planning to transfer key staff to U.S. entities on EB-1C or EB-2 immigrant petitions must now consider interim strategies—such as L-1, E-2 or O-1 visas—to keep projects on track. Global mobility managers should prepare for prolonged family separations, higher legal costs and possible loss of talent to Canada or the U.K. Companies recruiting nurses, truck drivers and IT professionals from the Philippines, Brazil or Nigeria will need alternative sourcing plans.
Practically, HR teams should audit ongoing green-card cases, advise affected employees about the pause, and explore short-term assignments or hybrid work outside the United States until clarity returns. Employers should also watch for litigation; several advocacy groups have signaled constitutional challenges on equal-protection grounds, which could lead to injunctions in federal court.
The move revives an obscure nineteenth-century provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows the government to bar entrants deemed likely to rely on public assistance. Although previous administrations deployed the rule sparingly, the Trump administration has steadily expanded the public-charge doctrine since 2025, arguing that it protects U.S. taxpayers and deters irregular migration. Critics counter that the measure is a de-facto wealth test that disproportionately affects applicants from the Global South and fractures family-reunification pipelines. (reuters.com)
For applicants and employers scrambling for alternatives, VisaHQ can be a practical ally. The company’s U.S. visa portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) tracks real-time consular updates, outlines substitute routes such as L-1, E-2 and O-1 classifications, and connects users with vetted immigration counsel. By consolidating policy alerts and document checklists in one place, VisaHQ helps families, HR teams and attorneys pivot quickly while Washington revisits its public-charge standards.
Countries subject to the suspension stretch across every region—from Afghanistan, Iran and Russia to Nigeria, Brazil and Thailand—amounting to roughly one third of the world’s population. Immigrant-visa applicants already scheduled for interviews will receive cancellation notices; those whose cases are documentarily qualified at the National Visa Center will see their files frozen indefinitely. The State Department has not provided an appeal mechanism or a clear end-date, stating only that “processing will resume once revised guidance is issued.” (ft.com)
For corporations, the impact is immediate. Multinational employers planning to transfer key staff to U.S. entities on EB-1C or EB-2 immigrant petitions must now consider interim strategies—such as L-1, E-2 or O-1 visas—to keep projects on track. Global mobility managers should prepare for prolonged family separations, higher legal costs and possible loss of talent to Canada or the U.K. Companies recruiting nurses, truck drivers and IT professionals from the Philippines, Brazil or Nigeria will need alternative sourcing plans.
Practically, HR teams should audit ongoing green-card cases, advise affected employees about the pause, and explore short-term assignments or hybrid work outside the United States until clarity returns. Employers should also watch for litigation; several advocacy groups have signaled constitutional challenges on equal-protection grounds, which could lead to injunctions in federal court.
