The USA suspends visa issuance for 75 countries, including Kyrgyzstan.

Starting January 21, the U.S. Department of State announced a temporary suspension of visa issuance for 75 countries, Fox News reports.

The publication clarified that this measure affects all procedures related to the processing of immigration visas for citizens of the specified countries.

In a memo, which Fox News Digital accessed first, it was stated that consular officials must deny visa issuance in accordance with existing regulations while the State Department reviews the selection and vetting criteria for applicants.

This decision is part of efforts to prevent applicants deemed potential "public charges" on government resources from entering the country.

According to the document, the list includes countries such as Russia, Yemen, Iran, Somalia, Egypt, and Brazil. The complete list has not yet been disclosed.

The suspension of visa issuance will last until the new assessment of procedures is completed.

Particular concern has been raised by authorities regarding Somalia, where a fraud scandal in Minnesota revealed widespread abuse of taxpayer-funded social programs. Many of those involved were found to be Somali citizens or of Somali descent.

In November 2025, the State Department sent out a circular mandating new requirements for vetting applicants in accordance with the "public charge" provision.

Now, consular staff must consider factors such as health, age, English language proficiency, financial situation, and potential need for long-term medical care. Visas may be denied to older individuals who are overweight, as well as those who have previously received government assistance or been in social welfare institutions.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott noted: "The Department is using its authority to deem potential immigrants inadmissible if they may become a 'public charge' and abuse the resources of the American people."

"Immigration from these 75 countries will be suspended until the State Department revises visa processing procedures to prevent citizens who may receive social and government benefits from entering the country."

Although public charge regulations have existed for many years, their application has varied significantly depending on the administration, and historically, consular officials have been granted considerable discretion in interpreting these standards.

Exceptions to the new moratorium will be "very limited" and possible only if the applicant does not pass the public charge criteria.

The version of the "public charge" rules adopted in 2022 under the Biden administration significantly reduced the list of benefits, covering primarily cash assistance and long-term care, with exceptions for programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid.

Immigration and nationality legislation allows consular officials to deem applicants inadmissible if they receive government assistance; however, in 2019, President Donald Trump expanded this definition to include a broader range of benefits. This expansion was challenged in court, and some of its provisions were blocked until overturned under the Biden administration.

The complete list of countries subject to restrictions includes: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, the 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, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, the 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.