US suspends immigrant visas for BD, 74 other countries

The United States Depart-ment of State has suspended the issuance of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Bangladesh, according to an announcement by the US Embassy in Dhaka.

In a statement posted on its verified Facebook page on Saturday, the embassy said the measure targets countries whose immigrants have comparatively higher rates of receiving government assistance funded by US taxpayers.

The suspension, however, does not apply to non-immigrant visas, including those issued for tourism and study.

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. Issuance of immigrant visas will remain suspended until the review is completed.

The decision has been in effect since 21 January.

The countries affected include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, the Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, the Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, the Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.