The US suspends the processing of immigration visas for citizens of Kyrgyzstan

The United States has included Kyrgyzstan in a list of 75 countries whose citizens are subject to a suspension of immigration visas. The US State Department's decision takes effect on January 21 and will remain in force indefinitely until the review of applicant screening procedures is complete.

According to a State Department memo cited by Fox News, consular offices are instructed to deny visas under current law while the agency reassesses its selection and migration risk assessment mechanisms.

The key reason is the tightening of the “public charge” rule, according to which the US can deny entry to individuals who could potentially become recipients of social assistance at the expense of the state.

When assessing applicants, consular officers consider a wide range of factors, including:

• financial situation;
• age and health;
• level of education and knowledge of English;
• possible need for long-term medical care;
• history of receiving government assistance.

In addition to Kyrgyzstan, the list of countries includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iran, Brazil, Thailand, Nigeria, Egypt, Pakistan, and dozens of other countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Exceptions to the ban will be extremely limited and will only be possible after individual verification of compliance with the “public charge” requirements.

We would like to add that the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously warned citizens about additional barriers to obtaining US non-immigrant visas. Thus, starting January 21, Kyrgyz citizens applying for B-1/B-2 tourist and business visas will be required to provide a financial deposit ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. The specific amount will be determined individually by the consular officer during the interview.

To make the deposit, the applicant may need to fill out Form I-352 from the US Department of Homeland Security, and confirmation of agreement with the terms and conditions is made through the US Department of the Treasury's Pay.gov online platform.

However, making the deposit does not guarantee the issuance of a visa, and the deposit is not refundable in case of a visa violation or change in immigration status.

Against the backdrop of the tightening of US visa policy, Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov called for a review of Kyrgyzstan's visa regime for US citizens.

According to him, visa policy should be based on the principles of parity and mutual respect, and the introduction of a deposit of up to $15,000 for Kyrgyz citizens cannot go unanswered.