U.S. Partially Suspends Visa Issuance for Nationals of 19 Countries Starting January 1

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

The U.S. Department of State announced that, effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, it will partially suspend the issuance of certain visas to nationals of 19 countries, in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.”

The affected countries are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The partial suspension applies to non-immigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas, as well as all immigrant visas.
Limited exceptions include:
Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
Dual nationals applying with a passport from a country not subject to the suspension
Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for certain U.S. government employees
Participants in major sporting events
Lawful permanent residents of the United States
The measures aim to address deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing, citing factors such as visa overstay rates and other national security considerations.
No previously issued visas will be revoked under the proclamation. For more details, visit the U.S. Department of State’s website or the relevant U.S. embassy.