US Visas

Embassies and consulates cannot issue new EB-5 unreserved visas to Indian applicants until next financial year

The US State Department will offer a "premium" expedited service for foreigners seeking business or tourist visas to come to the United States that will set applicants back USD 750 -- on top of the initial fee of USD 185. In a notice to be published in the Federal Register this week, the department will unveil a pilot programme that will allow visa applicants to pay the USD 750 to schedule an appointment for an interview within 10 days of the payment at select US embassies and consulates. The pilot programme will run from July 1 to December 31, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press and a State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the programme has not yet been announced. The move is a potential effort to ease conditions caused by the Trump administration's push to make entering the US more difficult. The administration has cracked down on most forms of migration for foreigners -- demanding that bonds of up to USD 15,000 be paid

Emphasising the personal chemistry between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, Rubio noted that their bond spans both terms of the Trump administration

The California-based physician is being examined over alleged links to services that assisted pregnant foreign nationals travelling to the US for childbirth and citizenship-related benefits

And Homeland Security has indefinitely paused the processing of visa applications for people from 39 countries

More than 3.5 lakh Indian students are pursuing various educational programmes ranging from primary schooling to university courses in the US as of February 2026, which is a decline of around 6.9 per cent from the corresponding figure the previous year, the Parliament was informed on Thursday. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was asked whether Indian student enrolments in the US have dropped, and to what extent "scarce visa slots" and "high percentage of rejections of visas" are contributing to it. In a written reply to the query, the Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh shared with the Rajya Sabha some data released by the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Mapping Tool of the US Department of Homeland Security. According to the data, the total number of Indian students pursuing various educational programs (primary, secondary, other vocational, high school, language training, flight school, associate, bachelor's, master's, doctorate

India and China bore the maximum brunt of tougher immigration policy unveiled by the Trump administration which issued 2.5 lakh fewer visas in the first eight months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, according to a media report. From January to August 2025, the State Department approved 11 per cent fewer permanent resident and temporary visas compared with the same period a year before, according to State Department data released in early March. These visas are generally issued for students, workers, and family members of citizens and legal residents. The 11 per cent drop doesn't include tourist visas, which also fell during the same period, the Washington Post reported on Sunday. According to the report, visas for Chinese and Indian nationals fell by about 84,000 compared with the same period in 2024, largely reflecting a drop-off in international students and workers from those countries. Business and tourism visas declined by about 3.4 per cent in the first eight

The rare move comes less than a month before the inauguration of right-wing President-elect Jose Antonio Kast, a close White House ally

New policy allows foreign religious workers holding the visa to re-apply for entry immediately after their five-year term expires

The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people

Last year, the US Embassy also cautioned citizens against remaining in America beyond their authorised stay, saying violators risk deportation and a lifelong entry ban

Influencers and OnlyFans models are using their follower counts and brand deals to meet US 'extraordinary ability' visa criteria as digital metrics come to play a central role in artist visa approvals

The US Chamber of Commerce has appealed a federal court ruling that declined to block the Trump administration's move to sharply raise the cost of the widely used work visa

From December 15, the United States expanded vetting requirements for H-1B visa applicants and their dependents, including H-4 visas

In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleged that the five Europeans had 'advanced censorship crackdowns' against 'American speakers and American companies'

Under the new system, visas will be allocated based on skill levels and offered wages rather than through random selection

US President Donald Trump has said it is a shame that students from countries such as India and China have to go back to their home countries after graduating from top American universities as he touted that the 'Trump Gold Card' will enable companies to hire and retain such talent in the country. Trump on Wednesday announced the launch of the one million dollar 'Trump Gold Card' that will be a visa programme offering pathway for immigrants to US citizenship. The Trump Gold Card is a visa based upon an individual's ability to provide a substantial benefit to the United States. "It is a gift of getting somebody great coming into our country, because we think these will be some tremendous people that wouldn't be allowed to stay. They graduate from college, you have to go back to India, they have to go back to China, they have to go back to France. They have to go back to where ever they came from. Very hard to stay. It's a shame. It's ridiculous thing. We're taking care of that, Trump

Adding further detail to the surge in visa actions, a senior State Department official revealed that more than 8,000 of the revoked visas belonged to students

The Trump administration signals a broader list of restricted countries, raising concerns for global mobility and future itineraries, AP reported.

The United States will restrict visas for Nigerians and their family members involved in mass killings and violence against Christians in the West African country, the US State Department has said. The attacks on the community are part of a longstanding and extremely complex security crisis in Nigeria a nation recently singled out by US President Donald Trump for "the killing of Christians" by "radical Islamists". Last month, Trump also said he has ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria following the claims of Christian persecution. "The United States is taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement posted on X on Wednesday. He added that the policy would apply to other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom, and