New Delhi, Jan. 14 -- The US State Department is pausing all visa processing for 75 countries in an effort to prevent applicants deemed likely to become a public charge from entering the United States, as per a report.

A State Department memo instructs consular officers to temporarily refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures, Fox News Digital reported citing a memo. The pause, set to begin January 21, will continue indefinitely until the reassessment is complete, the report said.

The list of affected countries includes Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen, among others, according to the report.

"The State Department will use its long-st...