US Court Lifts Immigration Visa Restrictions for Kazakh Citizens

A US Federal Court for the Southern District of New York has overturned the suspension of immigrant visa issuance for citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, according to a ruling issued on August 21.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his statutory authority by implementing the restrictions, stating that denying visas solely based on an applicant's nationality violates US immigration law.

In January 2026, the US Department of State halted immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries - including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan - citing concerns that applicants might become overly reliant on US public benefits and social assistance.

The restriction took effect on January 21 and applied exclusively to immigrant visas offering permanent residency, leaving non-immigrant categories such as tourist, business, and student visas unaffected.

The court also invalidated prior visa rejections made under the disputed policy, ordering those applications to be re-evaluated individually. However, officials clarified that this ruling does not guarantee automatic visa approval, as the US government retains the right to deny applications under other legal grounds.

The lawsuit against the State Department and Secretary Marco Rubio was brought in February 2026 by advocacy groups - including the Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together - alongside foreign applicants and US citizens seeking to sponsor family members.