By Favour Ulebor & Agency report
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.
The guidance directs consular officers to assess applicants on the likelihood of becoming a public charge, taking into account factors such as age, health status, English language ability, financial resources and the possible need for long term medical care.
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.
The latest move comes shortly after a presidential proclamation that took effect on January 1, which suspended visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries over national security and vetting concerns. Unlike that measure, the current pause focuses specifically on public charge risks.
As of Wednesday afternoon, no official statement confirming the scope of the 75 countries or the January 21 start date had been published on the State Department website. Applicants from affected countries have been advised to monitor travel.state.gov for updates on visa services.
The post U.S. pauses visa processing for Nigeria, 74 others appeared first on Vanguard News.
