US halts visa issuance for Uzbek citizens

Earlier, reports said that the US State Department had suspended the processing of visa applications for citizens of 75 countries as part of efforts to prevent applicants who could become a burden on the state budget. It has now emerged that Uzbekistan is also included in this list.

Previously, Fox News reported, citing an internal document obtained by the outlet, that consular officers had been instructed to deny visas under existing legislation while the State Department reviews its screening and vetting procedures. The list of countries subject to the restrictions includes Russia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen, and others. It has since been confirmed that the list also includes Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

The full list of countries is as follows:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, the 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, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, the 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.

Visa application processing will be suspended starting January 21. The pause will remain in effect for an indefinite period while the State Department reviews visa issuance procedures.

According to Fox News, in November 2025 the US State Department issued special guidance to diplomatic missions worldwide, instructing consular officers to apply stricter screening measures under US immigration law’s “public charge” rule, which concerns the likelihood that an applicant may become dependent on government assistance.

Under these guidelines, visas must be denied to applicants deemed likely to rely on public assistance. During the assessment process, factors such as the applicant’s health, age, English language proficiency, financial situation, and the likelihood of requiring long-term medical care are taken into account. Older applicants, individuals who are overweight, or those who have previously received cash assistance from the state or been placed in institutions may also face visa refusal.

“The State Department uses its long-standing authority to deem inadmissible potential immigrants who may come to the United States and later become a ‘public charge,’ dependent on government assistance, and potentially abuse the generosity of the American people,” said US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

According to Pigott, while the State Department is reviewing immigration procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals seeking to benefit from social welfare programs, immigration from these 75 countries will be temporarily suspended.

What is “public charge”?

Although the “public charge” rule has existed for decades, its enforcement has varied significantly across different administrations, with consular officers historically granted broad discretion in applying the criterion. Exceptions under the new pause will be very limited, and visa issuance will only be permitted after applicants fully pass screening under “public charge” standards.

Under the Biden administration, a revised “public charge” rule adopted in 2022 narrowed the definition of public assistance to primarily cash benefits and long-term institutional care. Programs such as food assistance (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Medicaid, and housing vouchers were not considered under this interpretation.

The US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) has long granted consular officers the authority to deny entry to applicants based on “public charge” grounds. However, in 2019, former President Donald Trump expanded the definition to include a much broader range of social benefits. That expansion was challenged in court, with several provisions ultimately blocked, and was later revoked by the Biden administration.