US suspends immigrant visas for Bangladesh, 74 other countries

The United States Department of State has suspended the issuance of immigrant visas for citizens of Bangladesh and 74 other countries.

The US Embassy in Dhaka confirmed this in a statement posted on its verified Facebook page on Saturday.

The embassy said the decision affects countries whose immigrants have comparatively higher rates of receiving government assistance funded by US taxpayers.

However, the suspension does not apply to non-immigrant visas, including those issued for tourism and study purposes.

According to official documents, the move is part of a review of the vetting process for visa applicants, aimed at preventing individuals likely to depend on public assistance from entering the United States. The issuance of immigrant visas will remain suspended until the review is completed.