India, China bear brunt of tougher US visa policy: Report

India and China were among the hardest hit by tighter immigration measures introduced by the administration of Donald Trump, with the US issuing around 2.5 lakh fewer visas in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to a media report.

Data from the US State Department showed that between January and August 2025, approvals for permanent resident and temporary visas dropped by 11% year-on-year. These categories include visas for students, workers and family members of US citizens and legal residents.

The decline does not include tourist visas, which also fell during the same period, according to The Washington Post.

Visas issued to Indian and Chinese nationals dropped by about 84,000, largely due to a fall in the number of international students and workers. Business and tourism visas also declined by around 3.4%, amounting to nearly two lakh fewer issuances.

Student visas saw a sharp dip, falling from over 3.44 lakh between January and August 2024 to just over 2.38 lakh in the same period in 2025.

Family preference visas — covering adult children and siblings of US citizens — declined by more than 27%, or over 44,000. Visas for sea and airline workers fell by 30,876, while cultural exchange visas dropped by 29,594. Fiancé and spouse visas also saw a steep decline, nearly halving from 37,229 to 18,894.

Responding to the figures, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said the administration’s policies reflect a mandate to prioritise American citizens. A State Department spokesperson added that visas are “a privilege, not a right,” stressing that stricter controls are aimed at safeguarding national security and limiting unchecked migration.