On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of State announced the temporary suspension of immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including Kosovo.
Following the publication by President Donald Trump of a list of 120 countries whose immigrants were receiving public benefits in the U.S., the U.S. administration announced a temporary halt on immigrant visas for 75 countries worldwide.
A spokesperson from the U.S. Embassy in Prishtina explained that the decision was taken after President Trump made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient to protect public benefits for U.S. citizens.
“The Department is conducting a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries are not expected to use public benefits in the United States,” the response stated.
The embassy noted that the Department took this step based on indicators that immigrants from these countries have a higher risk of relying on public benefits in the U.S.
“The Department is temporarily halting the issuance of visas to evaluate and improve screening and verification procedures regarding public charge ineligibility,” the statement said.
The embassy clarified that this measure applies only to immigrant visas and does not affect non-immigrant visas, such as those for tourists, athletes, skilled workers, or their families.
Additionally, the temporary suspension does not affect those who already hold a valid immigrant visa.
“No immigrant visas have been revoked under these guidelines. Affected applicants may submit applications and attend interviews, and the Department will continue to schedule appointments for applicants; however, immigrant visas will not be issued. Existing appointments are generally not rescheduled or canceled,” the embassy explained.
The Department communicates directly with affected applicants through standard consular channels, including during interviews and via email when appropriate.
The embassy instructed applicants to monitor the official website of the U.S. embassy or consulate where they applied, as well as the Travel.State.Gov Newsroom, for the latest updates.
The U.S. embassy concluded with a recommendation to rely solely on official U.S. government sources to avoid confusion.
“Applicants are strongly advised to rely only on official U.S. government sources for information regarding their case,” the embassy stated.
