The Trump administration is moving to cancel B1 and B2 visitor visas issued to people who later applied for asylum, a step that could affect hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals who entered the United States as short-term tourists or business visitors.
The measure targets visas granted between 2016 and 2026 where holders subsequently sought asylum. Officials say the goal is to stop the use of temporary visitor status as a route to long-term stay. The State Department, working with the Department of Homeland Security, plans to carry out the revocations on a rolling basis rather than in one go.
Authorities have not given a final number of affected visas. A spokesman noted that the process is ongoing, so the total will continue to shift. While asylum applications themselves are a separate legal process, the administration maintains that people who entered on visitor visas and then applied for asylum should no longer keep that visitor status.
The move forms part of a wider tightening of immigration rules that includes increased visa screening, new bond requirements for nationals of certain countries, and a temporary pause in immigrant visa processing while consular staff receive fresh training.
Nigeria is among the countries now subject to visa bond rules, with the requirement scheduled to start in January 2026. People whose visas are revoked will face questions over how the loss of visitor status affects their pending asylum claims, and the plan is expected to face legal challenges.
