US visa pause does not affect business and tourist travel for Ghanaians – Ambassador Smith

Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Emmanuel Victor Smith, has assured Ghanaians that the US government’s temporary suspension of immigrant visa processing does not extend to non-immigrant visas, including those for business and tourism.

The clarification follows rising anxiety among prospective travellers after the United States announced a pause in immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, among them Ghana and Nigeria.

Ambassador Smith explained that B1–B2 visas remain fully operational and are not covered by the suspension. In a Facebook post on Thursday, January 15, 2026, he stressed that the directive is narrowly focused and applies solely to immigrant visas.

“The US State Department confirms that B1–B2 visas will continue. Only immigrant visas are being paused,” he stated.

According to the US State Department, the suspension will take effect on January 21 and will remain in place indefinitely as consular officers review visa screening procedures under the long-standing “public charge” rules. The review is intended to strengthen assessments of whether applicants are likely to become overly dependent on US public welfare systems.

The affected countries cut across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean and include Ghana, Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Thailand and Yemen, among others.