The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing to revoke the B1 and B2 visas of foreign nationals who entered the country as business or tourist visitors before applying for asylum, a move that could affect up to 200,000 people.
The proposed action targets B1 and B2 non-immigrant visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to individuals who have subsequently applied for asylum or are currently seeking protection in the United States.
The US State Department is expected to carry out the revocations in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. However, officials said the process would be conducted on a rolling basis, meaning the final number of affected visas could change.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the departments were working together to identify and revoke the visas of foreigners who entered the US claiming to be short-term visitors but later filed asylum applications to remain in the country permanently.
“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,” Pigott said.
He stressed that the government had not determined a final number of revocations, adding that the figure remained “dynamic” as the process would be carried out on a rolling basis.
B1 visas are generally issued for temporary business-related travel, while B2 visas cover tourism and other temporary visits. Holders are admitted for temporary stays and are expected to comply with the conditions attached to their immigration status.
The proposed revocations could therefore affect people who initially entered the US legally as visitors but later sought asylum.
The move does not necessarily mean that all affected individuals would be immediately deported. Officials cited by the Associated Press said people with pending asylum applications could be recategorised after losing their B1 or B2 visitor status.
If implemented on the reported scale, the measure would represent the largest single mass visa revocation in US history, according to reports citing US officials and State Department documents.
The planned revocations come amid a broader tightening of US immigration and visa policies under the Trump administration. The government has increased scrutiny of visa applicants, including reviews of social media activity, introduced visa-bond requirements for nationals of certain countries and pursued restrictions affecting various categories of foreign nationals.
Nigeria is among the countries listed by the State Department as subject to US visa-bond requirements, with the measure taking effect on January 21, 2026.
The latest visa revocation plan also comes as the State Department has temporarily paused immigrant visa appointments worldwide while consular officers undergo new training aimed at strengthening applicant screening.
Reuters reported that the pause formed part of a wider effort to tighten immigration controls and improve visa screening.
The proposed B1 and B2 revocations are likely to face legal challenges, particularly over the relationship between visitor visas and the separate asylum process.
For individuals who entered the US on B1 or B2 visas before applying for asylum, the key questions will include whether the government can revoke their visitor visas while their asylum applications remain pending and what effect such revocations would have on their immigration cases.
The State Department has yet to announce a final figure for the visas to be revoked or provide a comprehensive timetable for the process. The revocations are expected to be carried out on a rolling basis.
