Dhaka, March 2 -- The United States has paused the issuance of immigrant visas to Bangladeshi nationals.

The decision was announced by the US Embassy in Dhaka in a Facebook post on Monday.

The move took effect on Jan 21, 2026, under a Department of State decision to temporarily halt immigrant visa issuances to countries whose nationals are deemed to have a high rate of reliance on public assistance in the US.

The embassy said the pause does not apply to visitor visas.

Immigrant visa applicants from the affected countries may continue to submit applications and attend scheduled interviews, and visa interviews will still be conducted, it added.

In a statement titled "Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of U...