Published: 28.04.2026
Following the introduction of travel restrictions, the United States paused the processing of visa, green-card, work-permit, and citizenship applications for people born in one of 39 countries. NPR reports that the delays could affect hundreds of thousands of people and place their legal status at risk.
According to the source, the pause affects not only future applicants but also people already waiting for decisions on immigration documents. Processing delays may allow an existing legal status to lapse, creating risks of detention and deportation. The issue is especially important for workers and other professionals whose visas, work permits, or permanent-residence applications are pending. Anyone connected to one of the 39 countries should take this into account when planning entry, extensions, or a change of status; the development is highly relevant for relocation planning.
- 🤔 npr.org