US halts immigrant visas for Bangladeshis

The United States Department of State has paused the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries, including Bangladesh, the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka said in a post on the embassy's official Facebook page on Monday.

The suspension, however, does not apply to non-immigrant visitor visas, it said.

"Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State paused all immigrant visa issuances to nationals of countries, including Bangladesh, whose immigrants have a high rate of relying on public assistance at the expense of U.S. taxpayers. The pause does not apply to visitor visas. Immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of affected countries may submit visa applications and attend interviews, and the Department of State will continue to schedule visa interviews," the post said.