The United States has temporarily suspended visa processing for Nigeria and 74 other countries as part of efforts to tighten immigration screening and prevent entry for applicants deemed likely to become a public charge.
A memo from the U.S. State Department, obtained by Fox News Digital, directs consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while the department reviews and updates its screening and vetting procedures.
Among the affected countries are Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and Yemen.
The suspension, which begins on January 21, will remain in place indefinitely until the reassessment of visa processes is completed.
Somalia, in particular, has faced increased scrutiny following a major fraud case in Minnesota, where federal prosecutors uncovered large-scale abuse of taxpayer-funded benefit programs. Many of those implicated in the case were Somali nationals or Somali-Americans.
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