SOURCE FOX NEWS: The United States will pause immigrant visa processing for citizens of Antigua and Barbuda and several other Caribbean countries beginning Jan. 21, as part of a broader review affecting 75 countries worldwide, according to a State Department memo seen by FOX News.
The pause, which will remain in place indefinitely, is tied to the U.S. government’s enforcement of long-standing “public charge” provisions of immigration law, which allow consular officers to deny visas to applicants deemed likely to rely on public assistance.
Caribbean countries affected by the pause include Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Other countries on the list span Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, including Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
According to the memo, consular officers have been instructed to refuse immigrant visas under existing law while the U.S. State Department reassesses screening and vetting procedures for applicants from the affected countries.
The review centers on the “public charge” standard, which requires officers to weigh factors such as age, health, English proficiency, financial resources, employment prospects, and the potential need for long-term medical care. Applicants with a history of reliance on government cash assistance or institutional care may also face denial.
“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States,” spokesperson Tommy Piggott said in a statement, adding that visa processing from the affected countries will remain paused during the reassessment.
The public charge provision has existed for decades, but its enforcement has varied across U.S. administrations. While a narrower version of the rule was applied under the Biden administration, earlier expansions under President Donald Trump broadened the range of benefits considered, prompting legal challenges and policy reversals.
Exceptions to the current pause are expected to be limited and will only be granted after applicants clear public-charge considerations.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
Trump: me no need no permission me no need no bwoy fi ah tell me, when fi block VISA, where fi block ViSA, why fi block ViSA cause ah my cousin try have dem…
Hmm…I wonder why Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 is not on the list of African countries 🤔 I thought they dislike the leader of that country.
Except Trinidad. Really? With all dem immigrants and people that bang water coming from same Venezuela.
Many on here don’t even know what the term ” Public Charge” means in immigration laws.
These laws has been around for years, and that’s the reason many try to slip into the US, because they cannot pass that threshold.
Antigua better wake up and tighten up their immigration laws they have on the books.
If y’all think that political Agenda doesn’t matter, think again.
You cannot continue to be tone def to the plight of your voters..those are the ones you are beholden to.
Who is GB beholden to, that’s what I want to see for our Antiguan people.
Everyone else is going to do their own thing, including the US,but what are we doing here at home, because Antiguan’s need back their beautiful culture, not this crime town it has turned into.
See what Gaston caused now?!?!? Boi them UPP people mussa shame NF now!!! Gassy Dread to the world meh say!!!!
So, is this really about the color of our skin and who can be the biggest Judas?
So, is this about the color of our skin and who can be the biggest Judas?
I’m laughing because I told people it is not just an antigen thing to say oh it’s political it’s systematic and it’s racist that’s the first agenda about it all and look out and see is FIFA don’t block the US from hosting the world Cup this year for all these stupid things going on In that country. I can tell by the recent that by that lady that was killed by ice that the country don’t love no one, my question is why you want to go to the us when you can go to so much different countries .
Well said @Islanman26
So that means the same cbean ppl they giving a hard time for visa u gonna send those ppl who r under the public charge from your country to the cbean? An the coonoomoonooes accepting them
Let’s see how many will cry racism when countries like Belarus and Russia are on the list.
Comments are closed.