The Trump administration plans to revoke the visas of foreign nationals who entered the US as short-term visitors and later applied for asylum. “Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud – which is grounds for visa revocation,” US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.
Pigott said the number of revocations “remains dynamic” and would be carried out on a rolling basis. US media reports suggest hundreds of thousands of visas could be affected.
Since President Donald Trump took office, his administration has revoked more than 175,000 visas held by foreign nationals on various grounds, according to the State Department.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, we are making clear that a visa is a privilege — not a right,” Pigott said in a statement to the BBC.
He said that the department is coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify and revoke nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the US claiming to be short-term visitors, but then filed for asylum to stay permanently.
“These types of visas are issued with the clear understanding that they are for those who intend to return home,” he said.
Those who apply for those so-called short-term B1 and B2 visas are asked to pledge that they will not apply for asylum in the US.
Holders of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026, who have sought asylum or are now seeking asylum, will be revoked, the Associated Press reported, citing State Department documents.
The majority of business and tourism visas in 2024 were issued to citizens from Brazil, which obtained more than 1.1m B1 and B2 visas, mainland China, India and Pakistan, according to State Department data.
Just over 32,300 were issued to visitors from Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2024.
Earlier this month, the state department said it had revoked more than 175,000 visas from foreign nationals who it said “violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against US citizens, defrauded Americans, abused our immigration system, or endangered national security”.
The state department recently told embassies and consulates to reschedule visa interviews so that consular officers can complete training on a more restrictive policy.
The visa revocations come after a US judge last week struck down Trump’s visa ban covering 75 countries, ruling that the policy – introduced when Trump returned to office in January 2025 – exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.
In June, another US judge ruled against the administration’s efforts to halt the processing of immigration applications from 39 countries.
By BBC News
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