US visas to Indians, Chinese plummet under Donald Trump
What's the story
India and China have been the worst affected by the Donald Trump administration's stricter immigration policies. In the first eight months of 2025, the United States issued 2.5 lakh less visas compared to the same period in 2024. The State Department data shows an 11% decline in permanent resident and temporary visas from January to August 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.
Reduction
Business and tourism visas fell
The drop in visa numbers does not include tourist visas, which also saw a decline. The number of visas issued to Chinese and Indian nationals fell by around 84,000 compared with the same period in 2024. This is mainly due to a decrease in international students and workers from these countries. The US issued over 3.44 lakh student visas between January and August 2024, but this number dropped to just over 2.38 lakh in the same period of 2025.
Visa impact
Family preference visa saw drop of over 27%
The family preference visa, which covers adult children and siblings of US citizens, saw a drop of over 27% or more than 44,000. Business and tourism visas also fell by around 3.4% in early 2025 compared to the previous year. The number of fiance/spouse visas issued fell from 37,229 in January-August 2024 to just under half at 18,894 during the same period in 2025.
Policy defense
A visa is a privilege, not a right: State Department
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson emphasized President Trump's commitment to prioritizing American citizens in his policy decisions. She said, "President Trump was elected with a resounding mandate to put American citizens first and every policy decision he's made has reflected that priority." State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott also defended the tougher visa policies, stating, "A visa is a privilege, not a right."