The United States has temporarily halted visa processing for Nigeria and 74 other countries as part of a review to strengthen immigration screening and prevent entry for applicants considered likely to rely on public assistance.

A memo from the U.S. State Department, obtained by Fox News Digital, instructs consular officers to deny visas under existing law while the department reassesses its screening and vetting procedures.

The affected countries include Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Thailand, Yemen, and others.

The suspension, effective January 21, will remain in place indefinitely until the review of visa processes is complete.

Somalia has come under heightened scrutiny following a major fraud investigation in Minnesota, where federal prosecutors uncovered large-scale misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits. Many of those implicated were Somali nationals or Somali-Americans, according to officials.