Legal consultants clarify how US visa suspension will affect Azerbaijani citizens

The US State Department’s announcement of a suspension on immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries has sparked widespread concern and confusion among people seeking to emigrate to the United States.

Issued on January 14, the directive instructs consular officials to pause immigrant visa applications as part of a broader order introduced in November that tightened screening rules for prospective immigrants considered likely to become “public charges” in the US, according to the department’s official statement.

The suspension applies specifically to immigrant visas and includes applicants from dozens of countries, such as Azerbaijan.

In outlining the policy, the government said that “Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” including public healthcare coverage.

The suspension is scheduled to take effect on January 21. In the days following the announcement, legal consultants and immigration attorneys have sought to clarify how the measure will affect applicants in practice.

Important to understand is that the suspension does not affect non-immigrant visas, including those for education, short-stay tourism, or business travel.

US-based immigration attorneys, such as Thomas M. Lee, emphasize that a pause in visa processing is not equivalent to a permanent ban, nor does it amount to an automatic denial. In most cases, consular officers have been instructed to hold or delay applications rather than formally refuse them under INA § 221(g), the standard provision used when additional administrative review is required. As a result, many cases remain legally active, even if processing timelines are extended beyond what applicants anticipated.

Many law firms also note that the suspension does not cancel immigrant petitions that have already been approved by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), nor does it revoke green cards that have already been issued.  the directive also does not automatically affect adjustment of status applications filed from within the United States.

On its official website, the State Department also clarified that immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of affected countries “may submit visa applications and attend interviews” during the suspension period. However, it confirmed that while appointments will continue to be scheduled, “no immigrant visas will be issued to these nationals during this pause.”

Legal experts say the most likely outcome for applicants seeking family-based immigrant visas—such as those based on marriage or parent-child relationships—is a delay in visa issuance rather than an outright rejection.

The suspension is also not expected to directly affect fans planning to travel to the US for the football World Cup, which will largely take place in the country in June and July. Exceptions would apply only to citizens of countries covered by the separate “travel ban” directive, originally introduced in June 2025 and expanded in December, which does not apply to Azerbaijani citizens.

By Nazrin Sadigova