US suspends immigrant visas for Pakistan, 74 other countries from Jan 21

The Trump administration has suspended visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Pakistan, according to a US State Department spokesperson on Wednesday.

The move was first reported by Fox News, which cited an internal State Department memo. According to the report, the pause is scheduled to take effect from January 21. The spokesperson did not provide further details about the scope or duration of the suspension.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the Fox News report on social media platform X, lending further visibility to the development.

The memo reportedly instructs US embassies and consulates to refuse visa applications under existing legal provisions while the State Department reviews its screening and processing procedures. No timeline has been given for when normal visa processing may resume.

Countries mentioned as being affected include Somalia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria and Thailand, among others.

The reported suspension comes amid a broader immigration crackdown pursued by Republican President Donald Trump since returning to office last year.

In November, Trump said he would seek to “permanently pause” migration from what he described as “third-world countries,” following a shooting near the White House involving an Afghan national that resulted in the death of a National Guard member.