The United States has paused visa processing for Nigeria, Russia, and at least 73 other countries as Washington moves to tighten immigration screening over concerns about potential welfare dependence.
According to a directive issued by the US Department of State, consular officers at American embassies and consulates were instructed to halt visa processing for affected countries from January 21, pending a comprehensive review of screening and vetting procedures.
The directive was contained in an internal memo first reported by Fox News.
Under the instruction, visa officers are to refuse applications using existing provisions of US immigration law while the reassessment is ongoing. The pause cuts across multiple visa categories and will remain in force indefinitely until the review is concluded.
The countries affected span Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Latin America, and include Nigeria, Somalia, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Russia, Brazil and Thailand, among others.
The policy shift is tied to the “public charge” rule, a long-standing provision in US immigration law that allows authorities to deny visas to individuals deemed likely to rely on public benefits.
In November 2025, the State Department issued guidance to US embassies worldwide directing stricter enforcement of the rule. The guidance expanded the criteria used by consular officers to assess applicants, including age, health status, English proficiency, financial capacity, employment prospects, and the likelihood of requiring long-term medical care.
Applicants considered at risk of becoming dependent on public assistance may be denied entry.
US officials have paid particular attention to Somalia following a major fraud investigation in Minnesota, where prosecutors uncovered widespread abuse of taxpayer-funded welfare programmes. Federal authorities said many of those implicated were Somali nationals or Somali-Americans, prompting heightened scrutiny of visa applications linked to the country.
While Nigeria was not specifically singled out in the memo, its inclusion places it among nations now facing stricter migration controls, at a time when thousands of Nigerians apply annually for student, work, tourist and family-based visas to the US.
The US State Department has not provided a timeline for completing the review, nor has it clarified whether humanitarian exemptions will apply.
The move is expected to increase uncertainty for prospective travellers, students and families, particularly from developing countries, and could further strain diplomatic and people-to-people relations between the US and the affected nations.