US suspends visa processing for citizens of 75 countries including Bangladesh

The US is suspending all visa processing for citizens of 75 countries including Bangladesh. This ban will take effect from January 21 and will continue indefinitely.

According to a report by Fox News, the US State Department has sent instructions to consular offices of 75 countries in this regard. The ministry will review the current visa processing process. At this time, visa applications of citizens of these 75 countries would be denied.

The countries under the ban are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

“The Department is reevaluating its visa processing based on its long-standing experience,” said Tommy Pigott, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department. “As a result, immigration from these 75 countries will be suspended. This action is primarily intended to prevent entry of foreign nationals who are dependent on U.S. government assistance or benefits.”

Originally, in November 2025, the US State Department issued a directive to embassies around the world. In which consular officers were asked to strictly follow the new screening rules under the so-called ‘public charge’ provision of the immigration law.

The directive also said that visa applications should be denied to applicants who are in poor health, English language learning, economic benefits, and those who are likely to receive long-term medical assistance and who are likely to rely on US government relief or benefits. It was also instructed not to issue visas to elderly and overweight people.

Earlier, in June last year, the Trump administration imposed a complete ban on citizens of a total of 48 countries entering the United States. Partial bans have been issued on seven more countries. Most of the new countries under the ban are from the African continent. Among them, Egypt and Djibouti, which are known to be close to the US, are on the list. The US also imposes this ban on several island countries in Central Asia and the Pacific. These countries are actually poor countries. There are allegations that citizens of these countries often enter the United States and stay there illegally.