United States to reject visa requests from individuals who cite fear of persecution in their nation of origin

The United States has announced a new policy to deny temporary visas to applicants who admit to fearing harm or mistreatment upon returning to their home country, as outlined in recent State Department guidance that significantly increases the challenges faced by millions of visa applicants worldwide.

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This directive, issued by the Department of State, instructs consular officers at embassies and consulates globally to suspend visa interviews with applicants who cannot confirm that they have not experienced harm and do not fear returning to their home country.

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According to the directive, applicants who answer "yes" or refuse to respond to questions about harm or mistreatment will likely see their visa approval chances denied, as stated in the guidance first reported by the Guardian.

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The two mandatory questions posed to applicants - "Have you experienced harm or mistreatment in your country of nationality or last habitual residence?" and "Do you fear harm or mistreatment in returning to your country of nationality?" - aim to reduce instances of applicants "misrepresenting themselves during the visa process," according to the Department.

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The new rule effectively filters out asylum seekers and applicants from conflict zones who use visitor, student, or business visas to escape danger, as it requires them to disclose fears that could trigger automatic refusal.

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This latest development is part of a series of visa restrictions introduced by the Department of State since 2024, as part of a broader immigration crackdown.

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Early last year, the Department introduced expanded social media vetting for all F, M, and J visa applicants, requiring consular officers to review five years of public online activity for hostile attitudes toward U.S. institutions.

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In October 2025, it suspended visa interview waivers for most non-immigrant categories, ending pandemic-era drop-box renewals and forcing applicants back into in-person interviews.

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By January 2026, the State Department had rolled out a visa bond pilot programme for high-overstay countries, requiring some B1/B2 applicants to post bonds of $5,000 to $15,000 refundable only on timely departure.

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Consular officers were also directed to apply heightened scrutiny to applicants from countries with elevated fraud or security risks, with Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon among those flagged internally for additional checks on financial documents and travel history.

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The new directive takes immediate effect at all embassies and consulates.