Washington, 3 December 2025 — The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has suspended immigration applications for citizens of 19 countries with immediate effect, according to a memo issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The move follows earlier travel restrictions imposed on these countries earlier this year.
The new measure affects nationals from four Arab states — Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan — whose applications for legal immigration status will now be suspended.
The list of affected countries also includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, many of which were previously subject to partial visa and immigration restrictions.
According to the USCIS memo, all applicants from the designated countries will now be required to undergo extensive re-evaluation procedures, including additional interviews where necessary, to fully assess any potential national security or public safety risks.
