La tarjeta verde y las solicitudes de ciudadanía de 19 países se pausaron a partir del 2 de diciembre

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has expanded a pause on immigration benefit adjudications to cover nationals of 39 countries following the expansion of U.S. travel restrictions.

What We Know So Far

USCIS has confirmed that the adjudication pause applies to immigration applications filed by nationals of all countries covered by the expanded travel restrictions. This pause affects employment-based, family-based, and discretionary applications, including:

• Adjustment of status
• Employment authorization (EAD)
• Extensions of nonimmigrant stay
• Changes of status
• Advance Parole
• Naturalization oath ceremonies

Countries Covered by the Adjudication Pause

Countries Subject to Full Restrictions

Nationals of the following countries are subject to the most severe restrictions under the expanded policy:

• Afghanistan
• Myanmar (Burma)
• Chad
• Republic of the Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Iran
• Libya
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Yemen
• Burkina Faso
• Mali
• Niger
• South Sudan
• Syria
• Laos
• Sierra Leone

Countries Subject to Partial Restrictions

Nationals of the following countries face partial restrictions and enhanced scrutiny:

• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Benin
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Dominica
• Gabon
• The Gambia
• Malawi
• Mauritania
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
• Burundi
• Cuba
• Togo
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela

What’s Changed Under the Expanded Pause

In a new policy memorandum issued January 1, 2026, USCIS expanded and clarified its earlier adjudication pause. The updated guidance broadens the pause from 19 to 39 countries and adds more detailed instructions for how cases should be handled.

Under the updated policy:

• USCIS has placed holds on all pending immigration benefit applications filed by nationals of affected countries, unless an exception applies.
• Officers may continue reviewing cases but generally may not issue final decisions while the hold is in place.
• Previously approved cases may be re-reviewed, particularly those approved on or after January 20, 2021.
• Certain applicants who were previously treated as exempt, including some family-based cases, are no longer automatically excluded from review.
• USCIS expects to issue additional operational guidance following an internal review period.

Exceptions to the Adjudication Pause

The updated USCIS guidance outlines specific exceptions where adjudications may continue despite the pause. These exceptions are limited and applied on a case-by-case basis.

Examples of applications that may proceed include:

• Certain document replacement filings
• Limited categories of work authorization for humanitarian or asylum-related applicants
• Select citizenship and certificate-related applications
• Civil surgeon designation applications
• Professional athletes and essential support staff participating in major international events
• Cases determined to be in the national interest or prioritized by enforcement authorities

USCIS has not provided detailed criteria for how exceptions will be evaluated, and approval is not guaranteed.

What Applicants Are Experiencing

USCIS has confirmed that affected applications will not move forward until the agency completes additional review under its updated screening procedures. As the policy is implemented, immigration attorneys report widespread cancellations of green card interviews, naturalization oath ceremonies, and other USCIS appointments, often with little or no advance notice.

Some applicants have reported arriving at USCIS field offices only to be turned away after their appointments were canceled in the system. These disruptions appear to be tied to the agency’s adjudication hold rather than individual case issues.

Implications for Employers

Businesses sponsoring foreign national workers from affected countries should expect:

• Paused immigration filings for employees already in the U.S., even if the employee previously cleared interviews or background checks.
• Delays in onboarding and start dates
• Inability to obtain timely work authorization or status extensions
• Slowed processing for employment-based adjustments or EAD renewals

Employers are advised to maintain detailed compliance documentation and adjust workforce planning in response to uncertain adjudication timelines.

Implications for Family-Based Applicants

Marriage-based couples, K-1 applicants, and family petitioners may experience:

• Delays or pauses in I-485 adjudications
• Slower issuance of EAD and Advance Parole
• Reduced consular visa interview availability for K-1 and immigrant visas
• Significant delays for Afghan fiancé(e)s and spouses due to DOS and USCIS halts

Couples should avoid time-sensitive travel or wedding plans tied to immigration timelines.

If You Are From One of the 39 Affected Countries

If you are a national of one of the countries covered by the expanded adjudication pause, expect delays — even if you already had an interview or oath ceremony scheduled. USCIS is canceling interviews and ceremonies, sometimes without advance notice.

Many applicants are seeing appointments disappear from their online accounts with no formal written explanation. Check your case status regularly and save copies of all USCIS notices and appointment confirmations. If your interview or ceremony was canceled, proof of the original appointment may be useful once processing resumes.

Talk to an immigration attorney before traveling internationally. If you leave the United States during the pause, you may face reentry issues, particularly if your country is also subject to travel restrictions.

If you have work authorization, take steps to keep it valid. File renewals as early as possible to avoid lapses while adjudications are on hold.

If You Have a Pending Naturalization Case

Oath ceremonies may be postponed even if you already passed your naturalization interview. Applicants should avoid long trips outside the United States that could affect continuous residence while waiting for USCIS to resume processing.

“For pending naturalization cases, I would not recommend international travel right now for nationals of affected countries, even for green card holders,” said Deanna Benjamin, an independent immigration attorney with Boundless.

If You Are an Employer

This adjudication pause may affect employees already in your workforce, particularly those with pending green card or naturalization applications. If you are an employer, you should immediately:

• Identify employees with pending adjustment of status or naturalization cases who may be affected
• Encourage early filing of work authorization renewals to avoid gaps
• Review upcoming work authorization expiration dates and plan for potential delays
• Avoid international business travel for affected employees until more clarity is available
• Provide updated employment verification letters if requested for compliance or future USCIS appointments

The situation may evolve quickly. Boundless will continue tracking updates and sharing practical guidance as USCIS releases further information.

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