The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has made it clear that foreigners who immigrate to the US should support themselves through work, and not become a burden on the state.
Therefore, on Wednesday, January 14, it decided to temporarily suspend the issuance of immigration visas from 75 countries around the world, including Kosovo.
Now, the US State Department is conducting a complete review of all policies, regulations and guidelines to ensure that immigrants from these countries - which US authorities consider to be high-risk countries - do not exploit US social assistance and do not become a burden on public money, writes Free Europe.
The decision, which also affects Kosovars who want to apply for an immigrant visa, better known as a "Green Card", will take effect on January 21, 2026.
Below you can read everything you need to know about this issue.
What is an immigration visa?
An immigrant visa is a visa that allows a foreign national to enter the United States with the intention of living there permanently. So, essentially, this visa is the ticket that allows the recipient to become a legal permanent resident of the United States, as a Green Card holder.
This visa is issued to those who want to permanently relocate to the US, rather than visiting temporarily for tourism, study, or work.
Once a visa is approved, the person usually gains the right to live permanently in the US, to work without restrictions, and eventually to apply for US citizenship.
Is it permissible to apply for an immigrant visa during the suspension period?
Yes. Citizens from countries affected by Trump's decision can apply for a visa and can attend the interview.
The State Department announced that it will continue to schedule interviews, despite the fact that it will not issue immigrant visas to citizens of the 75 affected countries during the suspension.
Who is not affected by this suspension?
Dual nationals applying with a valid passport from a country that is not included in the list of 75 affected countries are not affected by this decision.
For example, of all the Western Balkan countries, only Serbia is not affected by this decision.
How does the suspension affect those who have a valid visa?
Trump's decision does not affect those who already have a valid immigrant visa. So, the decision does not require the cancellation of previously issued visas.
Does the decision apply to tourist visas?
No. This decision only applies to immigrant visa applicants. Tourist visas are not immigrant visas, and therefore are not affected.
Why did Trump make this decision?
The American president said that a very high percentage of foreigners who have moved to the United States through immigrant visas do not work - but depend on American social assistance.
He does not want foreigners who intend to immigrate to the United States to become a burden on public money and state aid.
For example, 46 percent of Kosovo citizens who have come to the US on an immigrant visa receive social assistance from the US government, according to a list published by Trump on social media on January 4.
The US has issued 6.674 immigrant visas to Kosovars in the last 10 years, or an average of about 670 visas per year, according to State Department data.
Radio Free Europe has contacted the acting Government of Kosovo to obtain a comment from it on this issue, but by the time of publication of this text it had not received a response.
Bhutan tops the list, as 81.4 percent of its citizens who have moved to the US through an immigrant visa live on welfare.
Official data shows that the United States issued over 612.000 immigrant visas worldwide in 2024, which is more than in the previous year (562.976).
