The United States has introduced major immigration changes from October 1, bringing stricter checks for visa holders and applicants.
The changes come as the US State Department says it has revoked more than 250,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office.
Officials linked the cancellations to different issues, including visa violations, criminal activity, fraud, misuse of the immigration system, and national security concerns.
Around 2,300 visas were revoked in cases linked to birth tourism. The term refers to foreign nationals travelling to the US mainly to give birth.
US authorities are also preparing stricter action against some B1 and B2 business and tourist visa holders who later applied for asylum.
Visa screening has also become tougher from October 1.
The State Department has expanded social media checks to more visa categories. These include I visas for foreign media workers and TN and TD visas for eligible Canadian and Mexican professionals and their dependants.
Applicants in these categories may need to keep their social media profiles public or available for review during the visa process.
Changes have also taken effect for employment-based green card applicants.
The start of the new US fiscal year has reset annual visa limits. This allows some employment-based categories to move forward, while others may face longer waiting periods.
Indian applicants continue to face long waits in several employment-based green card categories.
Some non-citizens may also face changes in access to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program under new eligibility rules.
The overall impact will depend on a person’s visa category, immigration status, nationality, and, for green card applicants, their priority date.
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