US freezes all visa processing for 75 countries, including Somalia, Russia, Iran

FIRST ON FOX: The State Department is pausing all visa processing for 75 countries in an effort to crack down on applicants deemed likely to become a public charge. 

A State Department memo, seen first by Fox News Digital, directs consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures. 

The countries include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen and more. 

The pause will begin Jan.