United States Suspends Visa Processing for Armenia and 74 Other Countries

The United States has announced a suspension of foreign visa processing for citizens of Armenia and 74 other countries, according to a report by Fox News citing sources within the U.S. State Department. The measure is set to take effect on January 21 and will remain in place for an indefinite period.

The decision is based on an internal State Department memorandum that instructs U.S. embassies and consulates to stop processing and issuing visas to applicants from the affected countries. Under the directive, visa applications will be refused under existing U.S. law while the department conducts a broad review of its visa policies and security procedures. No timeline has been provided for when normal processing may resume.

Although the full list of the 75 affected countries has not been officially released, Armenia is confirmed to be included in the suspension. Other countries reportedly impacted by the decision include Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Georgia,  Afghanist, Nigeria, and Thailand. U.S. officials have so far declined to explain the criteria used to select the countries or to clarify whether additional nations could be added later.

A spokesperson for the State Department confirmed the suspension but did not provide further details regarding its scope or implementation. As a result, citizens of Armenia and the other affected countries seeking tourist, student, work, or immigrant visas may face prolonged uncertainty.

The visa freeze comes as part of a wider immigration crackdown being carried out by U.S. President Donald Trump since his return to office last January. His administration has adopted stricter policies aimed at limiting migration and tightening entry requirements into the United States.

In November, President Trump stated that he intended to “permanently pause” migration from what he referred to as “Third World countries.” That statement followed a shooting incident near the White House involving an Afghan national, which led to the death of a National Guard member. The administration has cited security concerns as a major reason for reinforcing immigration controls.

For now, the State Department has not indicated when the reassessment of visa procedures will be completed. Until further notice, visa applicants from Armenia and the other affected countries are expected to be denied processing, leaving many individuals and families waiting for clarity on their ability to travel to or immigrate to the United States.

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