DOS Confirms China is Not Part of Immigrant Visa Processing Pause

Per the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has confirmed that China is not included in the 75-country immigrant visa processing pause that took effect 21.Jan.2026. The clarification came after an erroneous alert appeared on the Travel Docs website causing confusion among immigration practitioners and visa applicants.

Erroneous Alert on Travel Docs Website

On 10.Feb.2026, multiple practitioners reported that the Travel Docs website for China displayed an alert indicating that China would be part of the immigrant visa processing pause. The alert suggested that immigrant visa processing for Chinese nationals would be suspended indefinitely, consistent with the pause affecting 75 other countries.

AILA’s Department of State Liaison Committee promptly contacted the State Department regarding the alert. The DOS, in turn, confirmed that the information was posted in error and that China is not part of the immigrant visa processing pause. The erroneous alert has since been removed from the Travel Docs website.

Conclusion

Chinese nationals may continue to apply for and receive immigrant visas without interruption. The 75-country pause, which began 21.Jan.2026, affects countries including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and Yemen, among others. China was never intended to be included in this list.

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