Saturday, March 29, 2025
Washington/New Delhi, August 22, 2025 – In a significant move amid trade tariff tensions with India, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the launch of a large-scale visa review program. The United States has begun reviewing around 55 million visas currently held by foreign nationals, including an estimated 10 million Indian visa holders.
The purpose of this review is to determine:
Which foreign citizens have committed crimes in the U.S.?
Who has violated visa regulations?
Who has engaged in inappropriate or unlawful behavior during their stay?
If individuals are found guilty during the review process, their visas may be revoked, and they could face deportation from the U.S.
The U.S. Department of State has clarified that the review is being conducted in the interest of national and public security. The evaluation will include:
Checking overstay records of visa holders
Examining social media profiles
Investigating any criminal or immigration law violations
Particular scrutiny will also be directed at individuals allegedly involved in pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel activities.
This move could have a major impact on Indian citizens, as more than 5 million Indians currently hold valid U.S. visas, including a large number of non-immigrant visas (for work, study, and travel). With India already engaged in tariff disputes with Washington, the visa review decision adds a fresh layer of uncertainty for thousands of Indian students, professionals, and families residing in the U.S.
Since President Trump took office, over 6,000 student visas have already been canceled.
Among these cases:
About 4,000 visas were revoked due to overstaying or violation of immigration rules.
Around 200–300 cases were linked to terrorism-related support or extremist activities.
Others involved offenses such as drunk driving or involvement in fights.
The Trump administration has also made in-person interviews mandatory for all visa applicants to strengthen background checks.
While the full outcome of the review will be known only after its completion, the U.S. has indicated that anyone found guilty of violations could lose their visa and face deportation. This raises serious concerns for Indian students, IT professionals, and families who are currently in America on valid visas.
✈️ In summary: The U.S. government’s massive visa review could impact millions of Indians. While not all visas are at risk, those who have violated rules, overstayed, or engaged in suspicious activities may face cancellation and deportation.
