Pause on visa issuance in place until vetting ensured to 'maximum degree', US embassy says

Embassy in Pakistan says vetting process ensures immigrants will not rely on public assistance

The US Embassy in Islamabad on Friday said that the Trump administration's pause on the the processing and issuing of immigrant visas would remain in place until authorities ensured that new immigrants were “vetted to the maximum degree” to determine their eligibility for entry into the country.

In a post on X, the US Embassy in Islamabad said the Trump administration was focused on protecting the American people by upholding the highest standards of screening and vetting of visa applicants.

"Effective January 21, the Department of State is pausing issuance to all immigrant visa applicants from selected countries, including Pakistan.  Secretary [Marco] Rubio has instituted this pause until we can ensure that new immigrants have been vetted to the maximum degree to ensure their eligibility for a US visa, including that they will not use public assistance," the embassy said.

The Trump Administration is focused on protecting the American people by upholding the highest standards of screening and vetting of visa applicants. Effective January 21, the Department of State is pausing issuance to all immigrant visa applicants from selected countries,… pic.twitter.com/T7VwxwjVOL

— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) January 16, 2026

The embassy clarified, however, that the measure applies only to immigrant visas and does not affect non-immigrant categories, such as tourists, students, athletes, skilled workers and their families.

The statement followed Wednesday's announcement by the Trump administration that it was suspending immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Pakistan.

Fox News, which initially reported the development, said the pause would take effect on January 21, citing a memo directing US embassies to refuse visas under existing law while the State Department reassesses its procedures. No timeframe for the review was provided.

Read: Pakistan among 75 countries hit by US immigrant visa processing freeze

“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

Following the announcement, US analyst Michael Kugelman wrote in a post on X that the freeze on immigrant visa processing appeared to be based on a chart listing immigrant groups with the highest percentage of households receiving US public assistance — a rationale later reflected in the embassy’s statement.

The US freeze on immigration visa processing for 75 countries seems based on a chart posted by Trump on Truth Social that lists the immigrant groups with the highest % of households receiving US public assistance. Most (not all) nations on the chart are on the list of 75.
But…

— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) January 15, 2026

Kugelman specifically referred to Pakistan, saying that according to the chart — which he noted lacked sourcing — 40% of Pakistani immigrant households receive public assistance.

However, he said that available data indicates the Pakistani-American community is generally known to be highly affluent, questioning the narrative and suggesting that greater transparency regarding how the data was compiled would be helpful.