U.S.: More than 300,000 visas revoked since January 2025

According to its own figures, the U.S. government has revoked more than 300,000 visas since January 2025. The figure was published in a White House report dated October 20, 2026, which outlines the administration’s record on immigration control. The U.S. Department of State confirmed the scale of the measure and stated that no previous administration had revoked visas at such a rapid pace.

A State Department spokesperson publicly emphasized that the government has a “zero-tolerance” policy toward individuals who are in the country on a visa and who break the law, commit fraud, or endanger national security. This stance is reflected in an overall tightening of screening practices regarding the issuance and monitoring of U.S. visas, which has noticeably intensified in recent months.

According to the report, the categories affected include, among others, international students as well as cases of so-called “birth tourism”—that is, travel whose primary purpose is the birth of a child on U.S. soil. The report did not publish a complete breakdown by visa type, but a trend toward stricter controls on study-related and certain visitor visas is evident.

For travelers and visa applicants, this means one thing above all: the requirements for complete, accurate, and plausible documentation have noticeably increased. Anyone wishing to travel to the U.S.—whether for tourism, business, or educational purposes—should expect more thorough scrutiny during the application process and at the border. Visas that have already been issued may also be revoked retroactively if there are doubts about the legitimacy of the purpose of the stay.

Travelers applying for a tourist visa to the U.S. or those wishing to enter the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program with an ESTA are particularly affected. In both cases, careful and transparent preparation of documentation significantly reduces the risk of delays or denials. If you would like to learn more about the current requirements and the application process, our U.S. visa overview provides a summary of the various procedures.

In light of the stricter screening practices, we recommend that all applicants seek professional assistance early on to avoid errors in the application process and prevent unnecessarily jeopardizing their travel plans. We assist travelers in correctly compiling the required documents and guide them through the entire application process for the U.S.