U.S. State Department Announces Pause on Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries

On January 14, 2026, the U.S. Department of State announced that it will pause immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries. According to the official statement, the pause is tied to a federal policy review related to public benefit usage and will remain in effect until further notice.

It is important to highlight that:

The suspension applies to immigrant visas: permanent residence pathways such as family-based and employment-based immigrant petitions

The pause does not currently apply to non-immigrant visas, such as:

• F-1 and J-1 student visas
• J-1 exchange scholar visas
• Other temporary visa categories (H, TN, E3, O, etc.)

Penn will continue to monitor State Department updates closely and seek additional guidance and clarification on the implications of this development.