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The United States government has announced an indefinite freeze on immigrant visa processing for Ghana and 74 other countries as part of a broader move to tighten immigration controls and curb the entry of applicants deemed likely to become a public charge.
According to a US State Department memo cited by Fox News Digital, consular officers have been instructed to pause immigrant visa processing for the affected countries beginning January 21, while the department undertakes a comprehensive reassessment of its screening and vetting procedures. During this period, visa applications may be refused under existing immigration laws where applicable.
The decision affects countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. Among those listed are Ghana, Nigeria, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Brazil, Russia, Thailand and Yemen, bringing the total number of affected countries to 75.
The policy is grounded in the enforcement of the “public charge” provision of US immigration law, which allows authorities to deny visas to individuals considered likely to depend on government welfare or public benefits. In November 2025, the State Department issued a global cable directing consular officers to apply stricter screening measures under this provision.
Under the updated guidelines, visa officers are required to assess factors such as an applicant’s health, age, financial status, English language proficiency and potential need for long-term medical care. Applicants with a history of reliance on government cash assistance or institutionalisation may face heightened scrutiny, with reports suggesting that older or overweight applicants could be denied if considered at risk of becoming a public charge.
Explaining the move, State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said the US would rely on its long-standing legal authority to prevent the entry of immigrants who could “exploit the generosity of the American people.” He noted that immigration from the affected countries would remain paused while screening procedures are reviewed to prevent abuse of welfare and public benefit systems.
Somalia has reportedly drawn particular attention following a major fraud scandal in Minnesota involving taxpayer-funded benefit programmes, with prosecutors linking several cases to Somali nationals or Somali-Americans. While the public charge rule has existed for decades, its enforcement has varied across successive US administrations.
The freeze is expected to have significant implications for prospective immigrants from Ghana and other affected countries, with no clear timeline yet announced for the resumption of normal immigrant visa processing.
The full list of affected countries includes Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte 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, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, 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.
