Visa Revocation

More than 80,000 visas were revoked from January 20, 2025 until November 2025, including 6,000 student visas (categories F, M, J). That statistic is mindboggling. Even more mindboggling is the fact that more than half of these revocations were not security- or criminal-related. Why were more than 40,000 visas revoked on grounds unrelated to security or criminal activity? It is a daily reminder to the 50+ million visa holders and more than 3 million nonimmigrant visa holders located in the US that obtaining the visa does not assure future entry to the US. Rather, because of ongoing vetting after visa issuance and the new capabilities of the US Government and AI to track individuals, social media, encounters with law enforcement, and online presence, the Department of State may, at any time, revoke a visa.

The trigger for revocation is new information that comes to light after the visa issuance. This new information, according to the Department of State, calls into question the holder’s qualifications for the visa. There are three primary situations when a visa can be revoked:

  1. if the holder is inadmissible to the United States on security, criminal, medical, financial or other grounds;

  2. if the holder of a nonimmigrant visa is not entitled to the visa because he does not meet the criteria for the visa category (Section 214(b)); or

  3. if a potential reason for inadmissibility or ineligibility, usually involving law enforcement, is suspected (“prudential revocation”).

The decision to revoke a visa can originate from the State Department in Washington, D.C. or with the consular officer at a consulate. A Customs and Border Protection inspector at an airport or land border entry can also cancel a visa. This inspector, using their authority in 22 CFR § 41.122, can cancel the visa and invoke Sections 212(a)(7)(A)(i)(I) (improper visa) and/or 212(a)(6)(C)(i) (misrepresentation/fraud), as well as issue an expedited removal order.

Specific Reasons for Visa Revocation

Amidst this overwhelming surge in visa revocations, now is a good time to catalog many of the specific reasons for revocation that we have seen. These include:

  1. Arrest. An arrest for minor misdemeanors or more serious crimes, including DUI, shoplifting, drug possession, domestic violence, and buying alcohol for a minor. This is true even if the charges are dismissed, or even if the underlying crime in and of itself is not an adequate basis to find a person inadmissible. Often the revocation request is sent out by a law enforcement agency to the Department of State, and within 24 hours, DOS will take action to revoke the visa.

  2. Violations of visitor or student visa status or conduct in the US inconsistent with representations in the visa process. Spending several months in the US in B visitor status may trigger a suspicion of unlawful employment. Giving birth in the US may lead to a consular contention of being a public charge or violating the “birth tourism” rule. Failing to attend classes may cause the termination of a student’s SEVIS record and revocation of the visa. Providing misleading information during the visa process — such as indicating a proposed stay for two weeks and staying for several months — can prompt misrepresentation concerns. Enrolling a child in elementary school in the US without a student visa may lead to the revocation of the child’s visa, along with his parent’s. Entering the US on a visitor visa and changing to another status may prompt the consul to revoke the visitor visa. CBP inspectors, in particular, are attentive to those who have spent substantial time in the US or engaged in an entry “carousel” — spending substantial time in the US, leaving before the expiration of the I-94, and traveling again to the US after a short interval outside the US.

  3. ”Anti-American” or Other Political Speech. Under Trump, students, activists, lawyers, scientists, researchers, and anyone using social media could be targeted for their online postings. Expressing what the Trump Administration deems to be anti-American, antisemitic, pro-Palestinian, or anti-Israel sentiments or views hostile to the United States government, institutions, or citizens are grounds for revoking visas. The Government is scrutinizing social media; memberships in professional associations, societies, and organizations; professional and personal friendships and affiliations; speeches, publications and articles; and professional experience. According to the Department of State, these individuals are engaging in activity “inconsistent” with their status or could compromise a compelling foreign policy interest of the US under Section 212(a)(3)(C).

  4. OPT/STEM OPT students who did not comply with their status. F-1 students who are authorized to engage in practical training in their field must satisfy the conditions of the OPT and STEM OPT program. Those who do not can have their visas revoked and be subjected to lifetime bars. Violations include: if the student exceeded the unemployment grace period of 90 days for OPT and 150 days for STEM OPT; working in a field unrelated to his major; and association with a “scam” employer. These fraudulent employers include AzTech, Integra, Wireclass, Andwill, Findream, Tellon Trading, Arecy, Sinocontech, Masswell, CB Max Design, Global IT Experts, Apex IT, and XCG Design.

  5. CBP discovery of derogatory information at airport or land border. CBP inspectors have become more and more aggressive: checking luggage, text messages, emails, social media, and resumes for compromising information. Did the H-1B holder exaggerate his qualifications in his resume? Or “kick back” fees to his employer? Did the F-1 student engage in OPT-compliant activity? Or “sit on the bench” beyond the permitted grace period while the sponsor sought to find an end client? Or “work” for one of the blacklisted OPT companies? Did the person engage in unlawful employment as a visitor — working for even nominal or minimal compensation, for example, at a farm or as a dishwasher in a restaurant or as a landscaper? Did the person give advice to others on how to get through Customs successfully? Did the person provide misleading information in his DS-160, leading to issuance of the visa? Was the young woman advertising her “services”? Was the person bringing an engagement ring to propose to his American citizen significant other in the United States? Did the luggage contain an original diploma to facilitate a job search in the US? Or did the luggage have cannabis gummies? Did the person fail to indicate in the Customs declaration an item that should have been declared? These are just some of the CBP visa-cancellation situations we have seen recently.

  6. Violations of employment visa status, including E-2, H-1B, L-1, O-1, J-1, and TN. An employment visa requires just that: employment. Usually, that employment is tied to a sponsoring company. So if the individual is not abiding by the terms of the employment, that visa may be revoked. For example, if the company is not paying the listed salary or stops operating; if the H-1B holder is engaging in different duties than were indicated in the petition and an amended petition was not filed; if the person has a “side hustle,” i.e., working for a different company or independently (e.g., as an Uber driver); if the E-2 business plan submitted to the embassy was not closely adhered to; if the employee is laid off or fired or otherwise terminated; if the J-1 sponsor in the US withdraws the sponsorship; if the E-2 business is sold and a new business is not purchased or started; if the L-1 visa holder is merely “parking” his children in the United States to enable them to go to school and is spending all of his time in the home country; if the O-1 planned itinerary was not adhered to; if the L-1 employer in the US has been bought out by another company and fails to notify or submit a new petition to USCIS; if a USCIS site visit shows that the company is not operating at the address indicated in the petition; if the O-1 agent stops operating; or if there had been misrepresentations or exaggerations in the petition or application process, such as the TN applicant’s qualifications, the nature of the work to be undertaken, or the viability of the sponsoring company.

  7. “Poison pen” letter. No matter how outlandish, the consul may give credence to a letter to the embassy from an “ill-wisher” attempting to block a visa holder’s access to the US: from a jilted American (e.g., accusing his desired spouse of being a spy), a competitor (e.g., alleging that the visa holder owes money), a disgruntled ex-spouse (e.g., saying that he owes child support), a former business partner (e.g., contending that he is involved in drugs), or a debtor in the United States who wants to cut off access to US courts (e.g., notifying the consulate that he believes that the holder plans to remain in the US illegally on his nonimmigrant visa). Obviously, the motives of these individuals may not be legitimate. But too often, the consular officer will err on the side of caution or take the word of an American party on its face in revoking a visa.

  8. Policy Changes. As with political speech listed above, policy changes at a consular post or sheer politics can also lead to visa revocations — sometimes en masse. The first Trump Administration’s “Muslim Ban” led to more than 60,000 visa revocations alone. Chinese students or professionals with connections to the Communist Party or studying in critical fields may have their visas revoked. Officials or businessmen connected with an unfriendly government can have their visas revoked.

  9. Security. No-fly, terrorist, and a variety of watch lists are constantly being updated. Not only do these lists encompass the individuals themselves, but known family members, friends, associates and associates of the associates, as well. The revocation net is being cast farther and farther afield.

  10. A denied immigrant visa application. A refusal of an immigrant visa may lead to the cancellation of a valid nonimmigrant visa. For example, a Diversity Lottery winner who is denied for not properly filling in the entry may have his B visa cancelled because the intent to immigrate is inconsistent with the terms of a B visa. The spouse of a US citizen who is denied an immigrant visa because of a misrepresentation will have her visitor visa revoked.

  11. A refused nonimmigrant visa application. An individual applying for a student visa who is denied may have his valid visitor visa revoked because of the suspicion that he will use it to travel to the US and illicitly enroll in school in the US. Or an individual applying for an employment visa who is refused may have his visitor visa revoked because of a consular belief that the individual will travel to the US and try to work anyway.

  12. A failed nonimmigrant visa application of a family member. If a visa holder wishes to travel to the US with her minor son and applies for a visa for her son and the consul denies the visa for the son, the consul can then cancel the mother’s visa. If a husband applies for a visa and is denied, his wife’s visa may be revoked.

  13. A family member in the US engaging in suspicious conduct. A spouse in the home country may have her visa revoked because her husband is spending an inordinate amount of time in the US in visitor status. The suspicion: the husband is working illegally or laying the groundwork for the family to use the visitor visa to move to the United States in the future.

  14. A family member applies for asylum. If a close family member applies for asylum upon arrival to the US, the family members remaining in the home country — spouse, children, parents — can have their visas revoked.

  15. Inaccurate information in a visa application. After the issuance of the visa, the consul may verify information in the application form. If she is unable to verify that information — for example, the phone number or address listed for the employer is inaccurate — then the visa may be revoked. This may happen when a third party, such as a travel agent or consultant, negligently (or deliberately inaccurately) fills in a visa application form on behalf of the client.

  16. Alien smuggling. While one may think of alien smuggling as the physical process of illicitly transporting individuals across the border, it actually covers numerous situations and individuals. Organizers of group trips to the US and employees of a travel agency sending tourists to the US may have their visas revoked if they are suspected of improperly facilitating travel for those who otherwise would not receive visas. For example, if the travel agency is engaged in arranging bogus employment confirmations to improve their clients' chances of receiving visas, all employees of the agency may be impacted with the revocations of their visas. Each of their clients may have his visa revoked.

  17. Conduct after receipt of the visa but before traveling to the US. For example, applying for a visitor visa, receiving it, and then posting a resume on an American recruiting website seeking a job is grounds for revocation. (Yes, consuls and their staff do such investigations.)

  18. Ties to “Undesirables”. Family members or individuals associated with an alleged criminal — even if deceased — may also encounter visa revocations.

  19. Suspected criminal activity. Questionable financial transactions can trigger “red flags” at a bank in the US. The bank may suspect unlawful activity or money laundering and notify US law enforcement. This leads to the Department of State revoking the visa based on the suspected criminal activity.

  20. Other circumstances. A very public legal dispute or civil case monetary judgment entered against the applicant, in the eyes of the consul, may prompt a visa holder to flee the country and so can trigger a revocation. Mistaken identity — an individual with the same name or biographical data as another who has a problem with the US authorities — can also lead to a revocation. A local employee of the US embassy who resigns from his position may have his visa revoked.

Revocation Process and Consequences

Visa Holder located outside the US: When it is the consular officer revoking the visa, usually there is an obligation to invite the visa holder to the consulate for an interview and give him a chance to show why the visa should not be revoked. The reality is that usually this revocation is just a formality; the decision was predetermined before the person visits the consulate. When revoking the visa, the officer will write by hand or stamp the word Revoked; notify — or should notify — the person on what legal grounds the visa was revoked; make an entry into the visa system; and complete a Certificate of Revocation of Visa. If the visa holder cannot be found, the officer will notify airlines of the revocation. If the person is already en route to the United States, he will be detained and have his visa revoked at the port of entry.

Visa Holder located in the US: Visa revocations while a person is in the United States are becoming more and more prevalent. According to the Department of State, it will not analyze whether the incident in question is sufficient to serve as a basis for a visa denial or finding of inadmissibility; it will make the decision to revoke the visa and allow the applicant to “make his case” for a new visa after he submits a new DS-160 visa application and appears at a subsequent interview with a consular officer. Thus, even a minor incident such as disorderly conduct or a criminal case in which the charges were dropped will not impact the DOS decision to revoke the visa. Once the State Department is notified of this incident by law enforcement — and this can be in a matter of days after the incident — a consular officer will send an e-mail to advise the visa holder that his visa has been revoked. Notwithstanding this action by DOS, it is important to note that usually this revocation does not impact his status in the United States — he does not need to depart immediately. In such cases only if an immigration judge makes a decision to remove would his lawful status be terminated. However, attempts to change, extend, or adjust status in the United States might be denied by USCIS because of the revocation, leading to unlawful status.

How Can W&A Help?

As you can see, the reasons for the revocation of a visa vary greatly. A visa revocation is a serious matter. It can implicate a permanent bar from the United States — for example, for violating the so-called 90 Day Rule by engaging in activity after arrival to the US inconsistent with the visa status — or many years of an inability to receive a visa.

But a visa revocation is not the end of the road. If your visa has been revoked and you believe that it was done without valid cause or that you qualify for a new visa, you should aggressively pursue a new visa. We can assist you in preparing your request for a new visa and ensure that proper consideration and review is undertaken by the consular officer. Sometimes, a case for receiving a new visa is straightforward. Other cases are much more complicated. If you are in the United States, we can consult you on the best course of action while you are still in the US. If CBP cancelled a visa and entered misrepresentation/expedited removal findings, we can initiate a Freedom of Information Act request if necessary and challenge those findings.

To see how we have helped individuals overcome visa revocations, please visit the Case Studies section. Because each case is different, please contact us to discuss your situation.