Egypt is one of 75 countries facing an indefinite freeze on US immigrant visa processing starting next week. An internal State Department memo first picked up by Fox News says the Trump administration will pause the issuance of immigrant visas for dozens of nations — including Egypt, Iran, and Russia — effective Wednesday, 21 January. The “indefinite pause” is part of an aggressive application a provision aimed at barring applicants the administration claims are likely to go on the dole in one form or another. Reuters has since confirmed the news with the State Department.

“Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” a State Department spokesperson said.

You should be fine if you’re looking to secure a non-immigrant visa, but travelers should expect heightened scrutiny under the new vetting standards — including a deep dive into your socials.

This move marks an escalation from the “heightened vetting” status we’ve held sinceJune. While Egypt avoided the full and partial travel ban lists last year, it has remained under a “possible future suspension” designation, subject to rigorous 90-day reviews of our security cooperation.

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