The United States has taken an unprecedented step by fully suspending the issuance of all types of visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Bangladesh. The directive is set to take effect from January 21, under which nationals of the listed countries will no longer be permitted to enter the United States.
This information was confirmed in a report published on Wednesday (January 14) by the US-based news outlet Fox News. According to the report, the decision marks one of the most stringent immigration measures adopted by the Trump administration in recent years.
The move is primarily aimed at preventing the entry of foreign nationals who, after arriving in the United States, become heavily dependent on government assistance programs and social welfare benefits. The US Department of State has already issued urgent instructions to all consular offices worldwide, ordering them to reject visa applications from citizens of the designated 75 countries until further notice.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, State Department spokesperson Tammy Pigott said that the entire visa issuance and vetting process is currently undergoing a comprehensive review. During this reassessment period, no visa applications from the specified countries will be accepted. She emphasized that restricting the entry of individuals likely to rely on public assistance is now a top priority of the administration.
Pigott further noted that the suspension will remain in effect until immigration policies are re-evaluated and the tendency of foreign nationals to depend on welfare benefits is significantly reduced. However, no specific timeline has been provided regarding how long the suspension will last.
Analysts believe the decision is closely linked to a social media post made by President Donald Trump on January 4. In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump published a list of 120 countries ranked according to the level of government assistance used by immigrants in the United States. Bangladesh was ranked 19th on that list.
According to available data, approximately 54.8 percent of Bangladeshi immigrant households in the United States receive some form of government assistance. Among South Asian countries, Bangladesh was listed alongside Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Bhutan. Notably, India and Sri Lanka were excluded from the list, which has sparked debate and scrutiny.
Fox News reported that the full list of 75 affected countries includes several geopolitically significant nations such as Bangladesh, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, and Egypt. Other countries on the list include Afghanistan, Albania, Brazil, Cuba, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Syria, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
The directive states that, under existing US immigration laws, consular officials are prohibited from issuing visas to nationals of these countries until new instructions are issued. As a result, thousands of students, tourists, business travelers, and prospective immigrants are now facing deep uncertainty.
Experts warn that this sudden and sweeping decision could have far-reaching implications, potentially triggering diplomatic tensions, disrupting global mobility, and adding a new layer of instability to the already fragile landscape of global geopolitics.
Source: Fox News
