US doubles student visa cancellations in 2025: What revocation really means

Student visas double in cancellations as the US extends continuous vetting and pauses other immigration channels

The US State Department said on Tuesday that 85,000 visas have been revoked since January. According to a CNN report, more than 8,000 of these were student visas, twice last year’s figure. A State Department official told the outlet that the most common triggers were “Driving Under the Influence (DUIs), assaults, and theft,” adding that these offences together made up almost half of all cancellations this year. Such cases, the official said, involve “people who pose a direct threat to our communities’ safety.”

 

There is also growing scrutiny of international students who took part in campus protests over Gaza, with some accused of antisemitism or supporting extremist groups.

 

However, visa cancellation does not automatically require a person to leave the United States.

 

“Revoking a visa does not require its holder to leave the US. I represent hundreds of the students whose visas were revoked and most have no convictions; some were victims of crime; and all remain in the US lawfully,” said Brad Banias of Banias Law, a South Carolina-based immigration firm, in a post on X on Wednesday.

 

Students on F-1 visas, used for full-time academic study, are usually allowed to stay in the country and complete their education even if their entry visa has been revoked. 

 

“Generally, if the visa of a student has been revoked in the US, the student is legally allowed to stay in the US and complete the education,” said Sheela Murthy, president and CEO of the Murthy Law Firm in the US.

 

“The visa revocation only applies to the visa that is stamped in the passport and does not apply to a person's legal status in the US. Under the law, the person's legal status remains intact and hence the F-1 student should be allowed to stay on F1 status and continue the education in the US,” she told Business Standard. 

 

What students can do if their visa is revoked

 

Abhisha Parikh, a US-based immigration lawyer, listed several steps international students may consider if their visa is cancelled:

 

• File for F-1 reinstatement if the violation was beyond their control, they have been out of status for less than five months, and they are still pursuing a full course of study

• Depart the US voluntarily to avoid being labelled “out of status”, which could affect future visa applications

• File an Administrative Procedure Act lawsuit if the revocation occurred without due process or a proper explanation 

 

What the US government said about visa revocation

 

In a post on X on Tuesday, the US government wrote: “85,000 visa revocations since January. President Trump and Secretary Rubio adhere to one simple mandate, and they won't stop anytime soon.” The message appeared beside an image of Trump with the slogan “Make America Safe Again,” suggesting that tougher visa checks remain a central feature of the administration’s approach.

 

Officials did not provide detailed reasons behind the cancellations. Previous briefings have mentioned overstays, criminal concerns and suspected support for terrorism.

 

The rise in cancellations comes as the administration expands its policy of continuous vetting for all 55 million foreign nationals with valid visas. Visas may be cancelled at any point if new information emerges. Travel is already restricted from 19 countries, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is advising the White House to consider expanding the list to 30–32 countries after an Afghan national was charged in a shooting that injured two National Guard members in Washington, DC. 

 

What other immigration channels have tightened this week?

 

In the past week, several other steps have been introduced:

 

• USCIS said it would reexamine green card applications from people in “countries of concern”.

• All asylum decisions have been paused.

• The State Department confirmed it was halting visas for Afghans who assisted US forces.