Kenya stands as one of the only 10 African nations off the US list of suspended immigrant visa applications, signifying President Donald Trump’s administration’s positive view of the country as a strategic partner to Washington’s economic and security interests.
The US State Department said that processing for immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries has been suspended, marking an intensified immigration crackdown.
“President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans,” it said on Wednesday.
“The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilise welfare in the United States or become a public charge,” it added.
The freeze is specifically for immigrant visa applicants and does not apply to tourist visas, which are classified as nonimmigrant.
The State Department said that effective January 21, 2026, it will pause all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of 75 countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.
Others on the suspension list are Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, and Iraq are also on the list.
Other nations affected by the US visa suspension are Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The list also has Senegal, Sierra Leone, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
“Immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of affected countries may submit visa applications and attend interviews, and the Department will continue to schedule applicants for appointments, but no immigrant visas will be issued to these nationals during this pause,” the US State Department further said.
Kenya and the US have strategic ties in trade, security, and politics, with Nairobi hosting one of America’s largest missions in Africa.
As a force contributor to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Kenya plays an essential role in our effort to defeat al-Shabaab, ISIS, and other terrorist organizations that the US views as a threat.
Kenya is a key economic partner for the US, given its status as a major economy in sub-Saharan Africa, and is critical to economic growth in East Africa.
Since his return to the White House for a second term in January 2025, Mr Trump has pursued a hardline, anti-immigration agenda amid vows to carry out historic deportation operations.
“The United States must exercise extreme vigilance during the visa-issuance and immigration processes to identify, prior to their admission or entry into the United States, foreign nationals who intend to harm Americans or our national interests,” President Trump said in an earlier statement on December 16, 2025.
“The United States Government must ensure that admitted aliens do not intend to threaten its citizens; undermine or destabilise its culture, government, institutions, or founding principles; or advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists or other threats to our national security,” he added.
