Georgia says US immigration visa pause “not a tragedy”

Georgian officials have downplayed the impact of the United States’ temporary suspension of immigration visas.

Irakli Kadagishvili, a lawmaker from the ruling Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia party, said the measure should not be seen as a cause for concern in Georgia, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media. 

“I am glad that Georgia is not among the countries from which people are forced to flee. Accordingly, this should not be regarded as a tragedy for us,” he said.

Kadagishvili added that other types of US visas, including those for study, business, and tourism, would continue to be issued as normal.

The lawmaker also cautioned that official information remains limited, and it is too early to draw firm conclusions.

The Trump administration will temporarily halt visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, a State Department spokesperson confirmed. The pause, set to begin on 21 January, affects nations including Somalia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria, and Thailand.

A State Department memo instructs US embassies to refuse visas under existing law while procedures are reassessed, though no time frame for the review was provided.

The move forms part of a broader immigration crackdown pursued by Republican President Donald Trump since taking office, following his vow in November to “permanently pause” migration from what he termed “Third World countries.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev