© KarenVardanyan/ depositphotos Brazil and Egypt are also featured on the registry.
The U.S. Department of State will put a stop to granting visas for individuals from 74 nations. The open-ended suspension will commence on January 21, from which point consular officials are instructed to turn down visa applications until assessment protocols are re-evaluated, Bloomberg reports citing Fox News.
Per a memo from the State Department, the U.S. is placing an indefinite hold on visa application processing. Certain individuals included on the roll, like Afghans, Iranians, and Russians, previously had limited opportunity to secure a visa, however, the action will be an unexpected development for many, notably Brazilians.
The Fox News story did not specify if the constraint would influence Ukrainians. It merely expressed that the roster encompasses Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen in addition to other countries. One of the most drastic actions taken by the Trump administration in its battle against migration will block entrance to the United States for nationals of a third of the globe’s nearly 200 countries.
The Trump administration had already increased the stringency of the visa screening mechanism, which has been among the most rigorous globally for years. In 2025, the White House mandated that applicants’ social media accounts be examined for indications of anti-American disposition.
The Trump administration has communicated heightened scrutiny of candidates for H-1B visas intended for highly qualified employees. These visas permit American firms to employ foreign personnel in specialized domains and are vital for U.S. technology enterprises that heavily recruit from nations like India and China.