U.S. State Department to Revoke Up to 200,000 B1/B2 Visas Linked to Asylum Applications
The State Department plans to cancel business and tourism visas issued between 2016 and 2026 for foreign nationals who have filed or are filing asylum claims, a move that could affect as many as 200,000 people.
The State Department is preparing to cancel up to 200,000 B1 (business) and B2 (tourism) visas issued from 2016 to 2026 for foreign nationals who have applied for asylum or are currently seeking asylum in the United States, according to internal documents obtained by the Associated Press and two officials. The revocations, to be coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security, would be the largest single mass visa cancellation in U.S. history and are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
"We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said. He added that the number of revocations will be dynamic and carried out on a rolling basis.
Officials said the cancellations would not automatically lead to deportation; most affected individuals would be re-classified but would lose their business or tourism status while their asylum cases remain pending. The policy follows a broader trend of tighter visa controls under the Trump administration, which has increased scrutiny of applicants, required additional documentation such as social-media histories, and imposed bans on citizens of certain countries.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted on X that some people use tourist and business visas as a “loophole” to obtain asylum, citing a 2015 case involving a Colombian citizen. Current B1 and B2 applicants are now required to affirm they will not seek asylum and to demonstrate intent to return to their home countries.
The State Department has previously revoked about 175,000 visas over the past 18 months for individuals convicted of crimes or for those who publicly criticized U.S. policies. It has also targeted “birth tourism,” a practice the administration says is used to secure birthright citizenship for children of foreign nationals.