Ghana’s Ambassador to the US, Emmanuel Victor Smith, has clarified that the United States’ temporary suspension of immigrant visa processing does not apply to non-immigrant visas for Ghanaians, including those for business and tourism.
The clarification comes amid growing concern among prospective travellers following an announcement by the US government that it would pause immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Ghana and Nigeria.
Ambassador Smith said the measure does not affect B1–B2 visas, which remain fully operational.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, January 15, 2026, the Ambassador explained that the directive is limited in scope and applies strictly to immigrant visas.
“The US State Department confirms that B1–B2 visas will continue. Only immigrant visas are being paused,” he stated.
According to the US State Department, the suspension takes effect on January 21 and will remain in force indefinitely while consular officers review visa screening procedures under the long-standing “public charge” rules.
The review aims to strengthen assessments of whether applicants are likely to become overly dependent on US public welfare systems.
The affected countries span multiple regions, including Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean, and include Ghana, Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Thailand and Yemen, among others.
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