U.S. freezes immigrant visas for 75 countries, including Afghanistan and Iran

The United States has frozen new immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, citing welfare dependency concerns, affecting applicants from Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti and several African nations.

The United States has announced a suspension of processing immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, citing concerns over welfare dependency, the State Department said.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the department said the move was driven by what it described as “unacceptably...