Trump's immigration crackdown: Impact on US visa wait times
What's the story
President Donald Trump's latest executive order, "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats," will tighten visa regulations.
The order calls for a comprehensive review of the visa program by the Department of State.
A senior US government official confirmed that the review is already underway as per the directive.
Upcoming report
Report on visa vetting procedures due in 60 days
The executive order mandates a report to be submitted to the President within 60 days by key officials including the Secretary of State, Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Director of National Intelligence.
The report will identify countries with insufficient vetting procedures and recommend suspensions on admissions from those nations.
The new regulations are likely to affect Indian travelers renewing US visas, significantly.
Renewal hurdles
Indian travelers face new challenges in US visa renewal
The US Department of State has slashed the eligibility window for visa interview waivers from 48 months to just 12 months.
The change is likely to lead to longer wait times for thousands of Indian applicants.
Nonimmigrant visa holders like H-1B and B1/B2 visa holders are especially impacted by the change.
The H-1B visa is for specialty occupations, while the B1/B2 visa allows business/tourism visits.
Policy shift
Executive order reinstates pre-pandemic vetting standards
The executive order seeks to "re-establish a uniform baseline for screening and vetting standards and procedures."
Since November 2022, travelers could renew their US visas without an interview if their previous visa expired within 48 months. However, this has now been reduced to just 12 months, forcing many more applicants to schedule in-person appointments.
Despite long post-COVID-19 delays in obtaining visas, India-US travel has surged.
Travel surge
India emerges as 2nd-largest source of US visitors
In 2023, more than 1.76 million Indians traveled to the US, exceeding pre-COVID numbers from 2019. This makes India the second-largest source of international visitors to the US after the UK.
Executive Order 14161 mandates federal agencies to enhance immigration screening and vetting procedures. It reinstates vetting standards from Trump's previous administration and calls for a review of visa policies for increased security.