US Orders Pause on Immigrant Visas from 75 Countries; Jamaica Listed
Immigrant visa applications from nationals of 75 countries, including Jamaica, will soon face a suspension under a new policy announced by the United States.
Beginning January 21, the pause will apply specifically to immigrant visas and will not affect applications for non-immigrant categories such as tourist or business travel.
Jamaica is listed alongside several Caribbean nations affected by the move, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
According to a list published by Fox Digital News, these countries are among those whose citizens are considered more likely to require public assistance while residing in the United States.
Instructions to halt the processing of immigrant visas were issued to consular officers by the US State Department on Wednesday.
Oversight of the department falls under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the directive aligns with a broader order issued in November that tightened screening measures related to individuals deemed potential “public charges”.
In a statement, the department said the action forms part of efforts by the Trump administration to curb what it describes as misuse of the US immigration system.
“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” the statement said.
“Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
Despite confirming the pause, the statement did not specify the full list of countries affected by the measure.
Separately, the administration of President Donald Trump has already implemented significant restrictions on both immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing for citizens of dozens of countries, many of which are located in Africa.
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