The United States has announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa services for Liberia and a wide range of other countries as part of a major overhaul of its screening and vetting system.
A State Department memo, reported by Fox News, instructs consular officials to deny visas under current immigration law while the department reviews its procedures. The suspension is scheduled to begin on January 21, 2026, and will remain in place until the reassessment is complete.
Liberia is among the nations affected, alongside Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and Yemen. The move comes after increased scrutiny of Somalia, following a fraud case in Minnesota in which prosecutors uncovered extensive misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits involving Somali nationals and Somali-Americans.
In November 2025, the State Department had already directed embassies and consulates worldwide to expand screening under the “public charge” provision of immigration law, signaling a tougher approach to visa eligibility. Liberia’s addition to the suspension list has drawn attention, as the country had not previously been included in similar restrictions. At the time of publication, the Liberian government had not issued a statement.
The indefinite pause highlights Washington’s determination to reassess immigration procedures, a step that could have far-reaching consequences for travel, migration, and diplomatic relations with the countries involved.
