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Claim: Facebook user Aloysious Howe claimed, “The United States of America has suspended visa processing for citizens from 75 countries, including Liberia.”
Verdict: Misleading, the United States of America has paused only immigrant visas for 75 countries, including Liberia, according to the U.S. Department of State
Full Text
A Facebook user, Aloysius Howe, has claimed that the United States of America has suspended visa processing for citizens from 75 countries, including Liberia.
Howe took to his official Facebook page, claiming, “The United States of America has suspended visa processing for citizens from 75 countries, including Liberia. The suspension will begin January 21 of this year and will remain in place indefinitely, according to the U.S. government.”
The post garnered significant public attention, receiving over 270 comments, more than 30 shares, and 119 emojis.
The claim was also spread by several other persons and platforms, including here, here, and Shine Liberia, a local Liberian blog.
Howe’s claim comes days after Liberia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Lewis Brown, read a joint statement on behalf of the A3 countries at the UN Security Council concerning Venezuela and the United States brouhaha.
DUBAWA considered it necessary to ascertain the facts of this claim, as it involves international relations and diplomacy.
Verification
In verifying this claim, it is important to understand what an immigrant visa is.
Immigrant visas are legal documents issued by the United States government for foreigners who intend to live permanently in the United States. A foreign citizen should submit a petition to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by filing Form I-130 at the beginning of the application.
The researcher checked major international news outlets, including Cable News Network (CNN), The Guardian, Reuters News Agency, and Al Jazeera, among others, for any report related to the claim, and we found out that yes, the United States suspended the processing of “Immigrant Visa” processing to 75 countries including Liberia, and not just the visa in general.
The researcher then visited the official website of the U.S. Department of State and discovered that only the immigrant visa has been suspended, contrary to the claim.
According to the U.S. Department of State, “Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State is pausing all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants. This pause is specifically for immigrant visa applicants. Tourist visas are non-immigrant visas.”
Meanwhile, the Liberian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia issued a statement providing some clarification concerning the latest decision by the United States of America.
According to the Liberian Foreign Ministry, “The pause affects only visas that lead to permanent residence (green card) in the United States, including family-based, employment-based, Diversity Visa, and other immigrant classifications. It does not constitute a ban on U.S. visas for Liberian citizens.”
The Ministry statement furthered, “The Ministry encourages the public to rely on official updates. Non-immigrant travel for tourism, study, and business remains open, and Liberians with valid visas may continue to travel lawfully.”
Conclusion
The claim that the United States of America has suspended visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including Liberia, is misleading; however, the U.S. has only suspended immigrant visas for 75 countries, including Liberia, and this policy takes effect on January 21, 2026.
