The administration of the US President Donald Trump may cancel approximately 200 000 business and tourist visas of foreigners who have applied for asylum or are awaiting a decision on them.
This was reported by the Associated Press, citing documents and two American officials.
These are B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026. If the decisions are not reviewed or appealed, the US State Department may begin mass cancellations of such visas in the coming weeks.
The B1 visa is intended primarily for business travel, while the B2 is for tourism, visiting relatives, or receiving medical care. However, applicants for these visas must prove that they do not plan to stay in the US permanently and intend to return to their home country.
The State Department confirmed that it is coordinating this process with the US Department of Homeland Security. They said that they are checking foreigners who entered the US on short-term visas but later applied for asylum.
At the same time, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott did not name the exact number of visas that may be canceled. According to him, the process is ongoing, so the number of canceled visas may change. The 200 000 mentioned is only a rough estimate by the Associated Press.
At the same time, it is expected to be the largest single visa cancellation in US history. However, visa cancellation will not mean automatic deportation. People whose asylum applications are pending may be granted another immigration status.
- The Trump administration on August 24 again proposed charging more than $100 000 for new H-1B work visas. The day before, a federal judge in the United States overturned Trumpʼs policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries. Among them were Russia, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Somalia and Haiti.
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