Visa Halt For 75 Countries 

On January 14, 2026, the US Department of State (DOS) announced it will stop immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries starting January 21, 2026. Applicants can continue to submit applications and attend scheduled interviews, but no new visas will be issued. Dual nationals applying with a valid passport of a country not listed below are exempt from the pause. Immigrant visas that have been issued remain valid as this only affects future issuance of immigrant visas. The rationale behind this move, according to DOS, is that nationals from these countries have a high risk of public benefits usage. 

Keep in mind that the visa halt only applies to immigrant visas, i.e., green card applications filed by foreign nationals abroad. It does not apply to non-immigrant visas. However, issuance of some non-immigrant visas to nationals of certain countries below may be restricted by another action (e.g., travel ban). Additionally, the pause is limited to DOS activities. USCIS has not made any announcement yet on whether they, too, will pause adjustment of status applications for nationals from these 75 countries. Given their recent history, it is very possible that USCIS will issue a similar announcement. 

The 75 countries are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, 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, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, 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. 

USCIS Expands Pause on Benefit Applications For Individuals From Countries In Updated Travel Ban 

As expected, USCIS issued a policy memorandum on January 1, 2026, expanding the existing hold on all benefit applications for people from countries named in the travel ban to apply to the additional countries added on December 16, 2025. The hold applies to individuals who list one of the high-risk countries as their Country of Birth or Country of Citizenship. The memorandum directs USCIS to review all policies, procedures, and screening and vetting processes for benefit requests filed by such individuals. In addition, the memo also orders a comprehensive re-review of approved benefit requests filed by this group of individuals that were approved on or after January 20, 2021. 

Exceptions to the adjudication hold include the following: Form I-90 (green card replacement), Form N-600 (citizenship certificate application), certain categories of Form I-765 (work authorization document), and benefit requests filed by individuals whose entry would serve a United States national interest. The last example, however, requires approval from upper leadership, and it is not clear how likely it is to obtain such an exception. 

U.S. Expands Visa Bond Requirement to 25 Additional Countries 

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) added 25 countries to the list of countries subject to the visa bond pilot program, bring the total number of affected countries to 38. The list now includes Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cote D’Ivorie, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. Any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The amount will be determined at the time of the visa interview. Note that a bond does not guarantee visa issuance. The money will be returned if the visa holder departs the US on or before the date to which they are authorized to stay in the US, the visa holder does not travel to the US, or the visa holder is denied admission at a US port of entry. 

The rationale behind the visa bond pilot program is that travelers from these countries have high rates of visa overstay. However, as the 2026 World Cup approaches, the travel bans and visa bond program may negatively impact the US travel industry. 

DOS Publishes February 2026 Visa Bulletin

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has now published the February 2026 Visa Bulletin. Most cut-off dates remained the same from the January 2026 Visa Bulletin. However, the EB-3 category for all nationalities except China and India saw slight movement forward. In the family-based preference categories, Mexico saw slight movement forward in the F1 and F2B categories. 

USCIS determined that, for February 2026, applicants in all family-sponsored preference categories and all employment-based preference categories may use the Dates for Filing (early filing) chart of the Visa Bulletin. 

USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Filing Fee 

Starting March 1, 2026, USCIS will increase its premium processing fees. All requests for premium processing postmarked on or after this date must include the increased fee amount. The premium processing fee varies depending on the underlying filing. For example, the premium processing fee for H-1B and I-140 petitions will increase from $2,805 to $2,965. 

District Court Rules in Favor of DHS in Lawsuit Over $100,000 H-1B Fee 

On December 23, 2025, a Washington, DC, federal judge upheld the Trump administration’s new $100,000 H-1B visa fee. According to the ruling, President Trump has “broad authority” to restrict the entry of noncitizens if he finds that such entry would be detrimental to US interests. Following the order, on December 29, 2025, the US Chamber filed a notice of appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. The U.S. Court of Appeals has since agreed to expedite the appeal with a plan to have oral arguments in February. With the upcoming annual H-1B lottery, an expedited decision will help employers prepare for the cap season accordingly. The case is Chamber of Commerce v. DHS. 

DOS Issues Guidance on Halt to Diversity Visa Issuance 

As of December 23, 2025, the US Department of State (DOS) stopped issuing visas to diversity immigrant visa (DV) applicants. Applicants can continue to submit applications and attend interviews, but DOS will not issue a final decision on the applications. According to the DOS announcement, the pause is intended to give the Department time to review the screening and vetting protocols in the Diversity Visa Program. This action is in response to the shooting at Brown University and killing of an MIT professor allegedly committed by an individual admitted to the United States through the Diversity Visa Program. The DOS guidance follows a previous announcement from USCIS that it would place on hold all adjustment of status (green card) applications filed by DV applicants. 

DHS, DOJ Announce Rule to Bar Asylum for Applicants Who Pose Security Threats and Public Health Risks 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) published a final rule that clarifies when an applicant is ineligible for asylum or withholding of removal because they pose a danger to the security of the United States due to certain public health emergencies. The changes allow DHS and DOJ to consider public health risks as a security risk, thereby barring individuals from asylum and withholding of removal during a public health emergency. The rule became effective on December 31, 2025. 

The rule marks yet another step the Trump administration has taken against asylum and other humanitarian programs. As previously mentioned, on December 2, 2025, USCIS placed a hold on all asylum applications pending further review. 

Schedule a consultation with Sandra Bruno here.