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List of European countries that have just been suspended from entering the US using immigrant visa
The United States government announced a broad change to its immigrant visa policy that will affect citizens from dozens of countries around the world.
On January 21, 2026, the U.S. State Department will begin an indefinite pause on the processing of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries. This measure is part of an expanded application of the public charge rule and comes as part of broader immigration policy changes announced by U.S. officials. Non‑immigrant visas such as tourist or business visas are not affected by this change.
Affected applicants will still be able to apply and attend interviews, but no immigrant visas will be issued for citizens of the suspended countries during the pause unless a limited exception applies, such as dual nationality with a country not on the list.
Several nations from Europe are included among the 75 countries on the suspension list. Below is a summary of those European countries and what this means for their citizens.
Countries in europe affected by the immigrant visa suspension
The European and nearby countries included in the immigrant visa processing pause are:
Albania
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kosovo
Moldova
Montenegro
Citizens of these nations who are seeking to move permanently to the United States through an immigrant visa now face a processing suspension that will remain in place until further notice. Eligible exceptions may apply for dual nationals with passports from countries not subject to the pause.
What this means for applicants from those countries
Individuals from these European countries will still be able to complete and submit visa applications and attend any scheduled interviews, but the U.S. Embassy or consulate will not issue immigrant visas during the suspension period unless they qualify for a rare exception. Dual citizens, for example, may be able to proceed if they hold a valid passport from an unaffected country.
The policy change reflects the U.S. government’s stated goal of tightening legal immigration pathways by reassessing who applies for immigrant status abroad.
Critics have raised concerns over the impact on families and legal immigration routes, while supporters argue these steps aim to ensure immigrants are financially self‑sufficient.