The Trump administration suspended immigrant visa applications worldwide starting in early August 2026 to implement a new screening policy targeting the “public charge” requirement, NBC News reported.
Visa Suspension Timeline and Impact
The suspension, confirmed by late August 27, 2026, affects immigrant visa applicants at all U.S. embassies and consulates globally. Most applicants with interviews scheduled for August 2026, primarily family-based petitioners like spouses, parents, children, and siblings of U.S. citizens, have had their interviews rescheduled to September, October, or November 2026. Worker-sponsored immigrant visas are excluded from the pause, as such applicants can demonstrate financial self-sufficiency.
Background on Previous Visa Ban and Screening Rules
Prior to this pause, a Trump administration policy
barred immigrant visas from 75 countries from January to mid-August 2026, but the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York struck down that ban. The court decision influenced the shift toward refining screening under the “public charge” rule, enforced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of Homeland Security. This rule denies green cards if applicants are deemed likely to depend on public benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps, or housing assistance.
Planned Mass Revocation of Business and Tourist Visas
The administration plans to revoke up to 200,000 B-1 and B-2 business and tourist visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to foreigners who have
applied for asylum. This mass revocation, coordinated between the U.S. State Department and Homeland Security, is scheduled to be announced in the weeks following late August 2026. Officials assert this decision aims to enforce immigration laws by discouraging misuse of tourist visas to seek asylum, which can take years to adjudicate.
Expert and Official Commentary
Julia Gelatt, associate director of the U.S. immigration policy program at the Migration Policy Institute, characterized the administration’s approach as “a general philosophy that immigration is bad for the United States” and said it is seeking “all ways it can to button down our immigration system to allow in
fewer people.” She noted difficulties rescheduling visa appointments due to limited availability, stating, “They’re hard to get, and so having to reschedule is a big challenge for people.” Gelatt also warned that extended suspension periods could result in litigation.
Christopher Landau, deputy secretary of state, emphasized enforcement objectives, stating, “The goal is instead to send a message that this administration is focused on enforcement and that people who want to live in the United States should not think about coming on a tourist visa and then seeking asylum.” According to State Department officials, visa holders whose B-1 or B-2 visas
are revoked but already have asylum claims pending in the U.S. will not lose those claims, as asylum cases are processed independent of visa status.
