Twenty-six African countries are affected by a U.S. State Department announcement made on Wednesday, pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, effective January 21.

The African countries affected include Algeria, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana and Guinea.

Also on the list are Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.

Others are Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda.

The U.S. government says the decision to pause immigrant visa processing is part of broader efforts to enforce heightened immigration controls on applicants deemed likely to become a public charge.

In a statement, the U.S. State Department said the pause would also allow for a reassessment of immigration processing procedures meant to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who may rely on welfare and public benefits.

The arrangement is expected to continue indefinitely until the review process is completed.

This marks the latest move by the U.S. government in its ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration.

In late November 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration would permanently pause immigration from what he described as “third-world” countries, following the shooting of a National Guard member in Washington, D.C., by a 29-year-old suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national.

In January 2026, the Trump administration also implemented a visa bond regime for several countries, including Namibia, Botswana and Zambia, requiring bonds of up to US$15,000 for certain visa categories.