U.S. Suspends Immigrant Visas for 75 Nations Including Thailand: Effective Jan 21, 2026 Exclusive to the Super Rich?

Is the American Dream closing its doors to the average person? Huge news for those planning to relocate! Internal memos from the U.S. Department of State have confirmed a new mandate suspending "all types" of Immigrant Visas (permanent residency) for 75 countries. Crucially, Thailand is on the list of nations requiring a complete review of screening measures. This suspension takes effect on January 21, 2026, and will remain in place indefinitely.

Deep Dive Suspended Visas Affecting Workers and Families

This suspension covers almost all settlement visas popular among Thai citizens

• Green Card Lottery: The "Diversity Visa" lottery for permanent residency has been halted immediately.

• Employment-Based (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3): Permanent work visas for professionals and laborers are suspended pending new criteria.

• Family-Based Visas: Family reunification visas, previously a primary pathway, are also affected. This suspension applies to both new applications and those currently pending in the system until the U.S. announces its finalized new screening criteria.

System Overhaul Preventing "Public Charge" or Filtering for the Wealthy?

The primary reason cited by the U.S. government (under the Trump administration) is to prevent immigrants from becoming a "Public Charge" or relying on government welfare funded by American taxpayers. Additionally, reports of a massive welfare fraud discovery in Minnesota have accelerated the need for stringent "Financial Status" evaluations of applicants. Simply put, the U.S. is looking for people who can "contribute funds" to the system rather than those who might "request funds" from the state.

The "Gold Card" Remains Open: A Golden Gate for the Super Rich

While the doors are being locked for the general public, they remain slightly ajar for "Super Rich" luxury travelers. Reports indicate that the "Gold Card" program obtaining residency through investment—continues to be a specially considered pathway

• Minimum Investment: Approximately $1 million USD (roughly 34 million THB).

• Benefits: Acts like an "M Pass" to smooth out the screening process, as you have proven you possess sufficient assets to not be a burden to the state. This is a clear signal that the U.S. in 2026 is moving toward a fully "Wealth-Based" screening system.

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This situation marks a major turning point. Anyone planning to move to the U.S. may need to pivot their strategy toward building the strongest Financial Profile possible. It appears that in this next era of America, "Wealth" has become a more significant entry pass than "Skills."

Sources

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/all-visa-categories.html?brid=NzWiQo1fRca6_LhNa635ug

https://www.prachachat.net/world-news/news-1950737

https://www.matichon.co.th/foreign/news_5549430