Nairobi — Kenya has been excluded from a new U.S. immigrant visa processing freeze that has hit several East African countries, as Washington moves to limit immigration from selected nations.
The suspension affects Somalia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Sudan and South Sudan, according to a notice circulated to U.S. embassies and consulates. The freeze, which applies to 75 countries globally, takes effect on January 21, 2026.
Under the directive, U.S. immigrant visas–issued on the basis of family ties, employment, adoption, special immigrant categories and the diversity visa programme–will not be processed for nationals of the listed countries. This effectively blocks applications for employment-based immigration and family reunification visas.
“The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates,” said Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the U.S. Department of State.
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“The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” he added.
Some of the affected East African countries have recently faced scrutiny from the Trump administration over alleged immigration fraud and governance concerns. Somalia, in particular, has been singled out following accusations of welfare fraud involving immigrants in the U.S. state of Minnesota.
Kenya’s exclusion from the list means its citizens can continue to apply for U.S. immigrant visas under existing programmes, offering relief to families, workers and diversity visa applicants amid tightening U.S. immigration controls.
