The US Department of State has announced a temporary pause on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of certain countries, effective January 21, 2026. This decision is part of an ongoing review related to public charge considerations, impacting employers managing consular-based US permanent residence cases.
Key Details:
- Immigrant visa applications and interviews can still proceed, but visas will not be issued during the pause.
- Non-immigrant visas (H-1B, L-1, E-2, B1/B2, etc.) are unaffected by this pause.
- Adjustment of Status filings within the US will also remain unaffected.
- Dual nationals using a passport from a non-listed country are exempt from this pause.
- No existing immigrant visas have been revoked under this guidance.
This update is particularly relevant for employers whose permanent residence strategy involves consular processing, as nationality and place of processing can significantly affect timelines and planning assumptions.
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Source: Arya Selvarajan