visa restrictions · Full chronicle and history

According to Newsweek, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on October 27 the suspension of the EVS-TAP program, which allowed screened Chinese citizens to travel visa-free to the Northern Mariana Islands, effective at 2:00 PM on October 30. The reasons cited include birth tourism, national security, and immigration enforcement risks. Over 3,000 Chinese citizens entered through this program in fiscal year 2025.

According to a Voice of Hope report, visas of more than 700 Chinese citizens have recently been revoked by U.S. authorities. With the executive order on birthright citizenship temporarily blocked by the Supreme Court, U.S. law enforcement agencies have begun strictly scrutinizing visa fraud and re-examining old cases from the past 6 years.

According to @ChinaSelect, the U.S. government is investigating nine universities on suspicion of J-1 visa fraud. Previously, a special committee of the U.S. House of Representatives released an investigative report titled "From Ph.D. to PLA," pointing out serious loopholes in U.S. academic institutions that could be exploited by the Chinese Communist Party to obtain sensitive research results. This investigation is seen as a further follow-up and response to the aforementioned security loopholes.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced a proposed rule under which schools applying for the Optional Practical Training program must pay a fee of $70,000 per person, and $30,000 to extend the program, in an effort to address fraud and abuse.

US Vice President Vance announced the suspension of eight technology companies, including Microsoft, from participating in the H-1B visa program, and launched an investigation into the J-1 visa programs at nine universities.

The US Department of Homeland Security has published a proposed rule that would raise fees for international students' OPT applications and extensions to tens of thousands of dollars.

The National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice issued an advisory warning foreign students in the U.S. not to act as unregistered foreign agents. Violators face penalties including loss of legal status, deportation, and failure to complete their studies.

U.S. Secretary of State Rubio announced on September 15 new visa restrictions on some South African citizens, citing discriminatory legislation, the threat of expropriation of land without compensation, and incitement of racial violence; South African International Relations Minister Lamola rebutted that enacting laws in response to racial injustice is a sovereign right, and acknowledged that bilateral relations face challenges.

On August 24, 2026, US media reported that the Trump administration plans to revoke the B1/B2 visas of up to 200,000 people who have applied for or are seeking asylum, which would be the largest single visa revocation in US history.

Trump signed two executive orders requiring restrictions on certain children born in the United States obtaining citizenship, and allowing the refusal or revocation of visas related to reproductive tourism and permanent entry bans.

Nankai University professor Liu Yadong published a post describing how anti-American fighters change their attitude when faced with internet-archaeology vetting by U.S. visa officers.

Ms. Zhu said that some Chinese families who went to the US to give birth more than 10 years ago have had their applications for renewal rejected multiple times after their 10-year tourist visas expired.

US Plans to Revoke Visas of 200,000 Asylum Seekers

The US Department of Homeland Security announced a final visa rule that replaces the existing duration-of-status system with fixed stay periods; F visas and J visas would generally be tied to the program end date, with a maximum of 4 years.

In July 2026, Japan uniformly raised the fees for Chinese citizens applying for single- and multiple-entry visas to Japan to five times the original price, which is the background for China's reciprocal increase in visa fees for Japanese citizens applying to visit China.

US Senator Rick Scott has introduced a new bill aimed at eliminating funding support for the OPT work authorization program to prioritize the interests of American workers and prevent national security risks.

The State Council will further expand the public disclosure of requirements for social media and internet information screening to include more visa applicants, such as K-class unmarried couples and their family members.

The rules for the H1B visa lottery have changed: employers must provide the salary level of the position when registering, and the higher the salary level, the greater the weight in the lottery.

Starting in December 2025, the U.S. State Department requires F, M, and J students, exchange visitors, H1B work visa applicants, and H4 dependent visa applicants to set their social media accounts to public.