The US state department froze the immigrant visa process for 75 countries, including Pakistan, and the US embassy in Islamabad said the immigrant visa would be stopped for Pakistan from January 21.
Earlier, the state department indefinitely suspended the processing of immigrant visas from 75 countries in what it described as one of its most expansive efforts yet to restrict legal entry pathways to the United States.
The freeze targeted individuals based on their nationality and encompassed countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria, and Thailand were among the affected countries.
Till how long this freeze will be effective?The US embassy updated that the ban on Pakistan's immigrant visa would be removed when new immigrants have been vetted to the maximum degree to ensure their eligibility for a US visa, including that they will not use public assistance.
In a post on X, US embassy said, "The Trump Administration is focused on protecting the American people by upholding the highest standards of screening and vetting of visa applicants. Effective January 21, the Department of State is pausing issuance to all immigrant visa applicants from selected countries, including Pakistan."
"Secretary Rubio has instituted this pause until we can ensure that new immigrants have been vetted to the maximum degree to ensure their eligibility for a US visa, including that they will not use public assistance. This action applies to the issuance of immigrant visas only. It does not apply to nonimmigrant visas, such as those for tourists, students, athletes, skilled workers, and their families," he added.
Other than Pakistan, which countries are included in the list?The full list of countries impacted by the pause is: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.