US President Donald Trump's administration has suspended processing for immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday, as part of Washington's intensifying immigration crackdown.

The pause, which will impact applicants from Latin American countries including Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay, Balkan countries such as Bosnia and Albania, South Asian countries Pakistan and Bangladesh, and those from many nations in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, will begin on January 21, the spokesperson said.

A State Department cable outlining the move and seen by Reuters said the Department was undergoing a "full review" of all policies, regulations and guidance to ensure "the highest level of screening and vetting" for all US visa applicants.

The cable, sent to US missions, said there were indications that nationals from these countries had sought public benefits in the United States.

"Applicants from these countries are at a high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state and federal government resources in the United States," the cable outlining the move which was reviewed by Reuters said.

Tourists, temporary workers will not be affected

The move applies only to people seeking to live and work permanently in the US, not tourists or temporary workers, according to reports.

The move does not affect tourist, business or other visas, including for soccer fans seeking to visit for this year's World Cup, although the Trump administration has vowed to vet all applicants' social media histories.

Immigrant visa categories include spouse of a US Citizen, fiancé (e) to marry a US Citizen and live in the US, certain family members of US citizens and lawful permanent residents, and certain employment-based immigrants who can live permanently in the US by applying for the Green Card and then getting US citizenship.

Nonimmigrant visas (NIV) are issued to individuals who have permanent residence outside the United States but seek to enter the country on a "temporary basis” for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.

The State Department said that immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of affected countries may submit visa applications and attend interviews, and the Department will continue to schedule applicants for appointments, but “no immigrant visas will be issued to these nationals during this pause.” Dual nationals applying with a valid passport of a country not on the list of 75 nations are exempt from this pause. The Department clarified that no immigrant visas have been revoked as part of this guidance.

The guidance reportedly instructs consular officials to weigh a wide range of factors when determining whether an applicant is likely to rely on public benefits.

These include health conditions, age, English language proficiency, financial resources and the potential need for long-term medical care.

Applicants found likely to depend on public assistance are to be refused visas during the pause.

"The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people," said Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the State Department.

"Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits," he added.

The cable directed US consular officers to refuse any applicants whose visas have been "print-authorized" but have not been printed, or those that have been printed but have not left the consular section.

List of countries impacted by the suspension

According to a US official, the nations are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

Legal immigration

Trump has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown since returning to office in January. His administration has aggressively prioritised immigration enforcement, sending federal agents to major US cities and sparking violent confrontations with both migrants and US citizens.

While he campaigned on stopping illegal immigration into the United States, his administration has also made legal immigration more difficult - for example, by imposing new and expensive fees, on the applicants of H-1B visas for highly skilled workers.

"This administration has proven itself to have the most anti-legal immigration agenda in American history," David Bier, Cato's Director of Immigration Studies and The Selz Foundation Chair in Immigration Policy, said in a statement.

"This action will ban nearly half of all legal immigrants to the United States, turning away about 315,000 legal immigrants over the next year alone," Bier said.

The State Department has revoked more than 100,000 visas since Trump took office, it said on Monday. The administration has also adopted a stricter policy on granting visas, with tightened social media vetting and expanded screening.

Trump, a Republican, captured the White House saying a tougher stance on immigration was needed after years of high levels of illegal immigration under his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

In November, Trump had vowed to "permanently pause" migration from all "Third World Countries" following a shooting near the White House by an Afghan national that killed a National Guard member.