The Trump administration plans to revoke the visas of foreign nationals who entered the United States on short-term visitor visas but later applied for asylum, the US State Department has announced.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said using a visa intended for temporary travel as a pathway to seek permanent protection in the US would amount to fraud.
“Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud, which is grounds for visa revocation,” Pigott said.
He explained that the number of visas affected would remain subject to change as the administration reviews cases and carries out revocations on a rolling basis. US media reports suggest the policy could affect hundreds of thousands of visas.
The State Department said the administration has already revoked more than 175,000 visas held by foreign nationals since President Donald Trump returned to office, citing various violations and other grounds.
“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.
According to the State Department, officials are working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify nonimmigrant visa holders who entered the US claiming they intended to make short-term visits but later filed asylum applications to remain in the country.
The policy primarily affects B1 and B2 visa holders, which are issued for business and tourism visits. Applicants are required to demonstrate that they intend to return to their home countries rather than remain permanently in the United States.
The Associated Press, citing State Department documents, reported that B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 could be revoked where the holders have sought asylum or are currently seeking asylum.
State Department data show that Brazil accounted for more than 1.1 million B1 and B2 visas issued in 2024, while mainland China, India and Pakistan were also among the leading recipients. Just over 32,300 such visas were issued to visitors from Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The latest move is part of a broader tightening of US immigration and visa enforcement under the Trump administration.
Earlier this month, the State Department said more than 175,000 visas had been revoked from foreign nationals accused of violating visa conditions, committing crimes, calling for violence against Americans, defrauding US citizens, abusing the immigration system or posing national security concerns.
The department has also instructed US embassies and consulates to reschedule some visa interviews to allow consular officers to complete training on tighter immigration policies.
The planned revocations come amid a series of legal challenges to the administration’s immigration measures.
Last week, a US judge blocked Trump’s visa ban covering 75 countries, ruling that the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.
In June, another judge ruled against the administration’s effort to halt the processing of immigration applications from citizens of 39 countries.
