The United States government has paused visa processing for citizens of Nigeria and 74 other countries as it moves to tighten enforcement of public charge rules aimed at preventing migrants likely to depend on public benefits from entering the country.
According to a State Department memo obtained by Fox News, the pause will take effect from January 21 and will remain in place indefinitely while screening and vetting procedures for visa applicants are reviewed.
Under the directive, US consular officers have been instructed to refuse visas under existing immigration laws during the review period.
The decision affects nationals of 75 countries, including Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Thailand and Yemen.
The full list of affected countries has not yet been officially released by the State Department.
A State Department spokesperson said that immigration from the affected countries is being paused to prevent the entry of individuals who may rely heavily on welfare and public benefits in the United States.
The public charge rule, which has been part of US immigration law for decades, allows officials to deny visas or entry to individuals considered likely to depend primarily on government assistance. Its enforcement has differed across administrations, with wide discretion given to consular officers.
Officials said exemptions from the pause would be very limited and granted only to applicants who clearly meet public charge requirements after further review.