US to deny visas to applicants who say they fear returning home

WASHINGTON: The United States has directed its diplomatic missions around the world to refuse visas to applicants who indicate that they fear going back to their home country, under a new screening step that has raised concern among immigration lawyers and refugee advocates.

According to a State Department cable sent to US embassies and consulates worldwide and cited by American media outlets, consular officers must now ask two additional questions during interviews for non-immigrant visas. Applicants are to be asked whether they have suffered harm or mistreatment in their country of nationality or last habitual residence, and whether they fear such harm if they return.

The directive states that applicants who answer yes to either question are to be refused visas immediately. The measure covers visitor, student and temporary work visa categories, including B-1/B-2 visas, student visas and certain work-related visas.

The policy has been linked to a 2025 executive order issued by President Donald Trump and has been attributed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It forms part of what the administration has described as an effort to curb asylum abuse by stopping the use of temporary visas as a route to protection claims after entry into the United States.

It has also maintained that people who do not intend to follow US immigration laws should not seek entry, while officials say the step is meant to protect the integrity of temporary visa categories.

The information was first circulated by commercial visa assistance companies and was later confirmed by US and international media outlets, including The Washington Post and The Guardian. Previously, assessments related to fear of return were carried out only when individuals sought asylum after arriving in the United States. Under the new arrangement, that screening is effectively being moved to the visa application stage abroad, requiring applicants to disclose possible protection claims before entering the country.

Concerns raised by lawyers and rights groups

Immigration lawyers and rights groups have warned that the policy could have broad implications for legitimate travellers, including students, academics, journalists and business professionals who may have credible fears of persecution in their home countries. They say a truthful answer could lead to an automatic visa refusal, which could discourage lawful travel and weaken international protection norms.

Critics cited by The Washington Post, which first reported details of the cable, also expressed concern that the policy could affect future asylum claims made after entry into the US. However, the administration has not clarified how such responses may be handled in later immigration proceedings.

Pakistan embassy says no country-specific communication received

Officials at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington said, when asked about the development, that they had not received any country-specific communication from the US government. They said the measure appeared to be part of a global policy shift being applied uniformly to all nationalities rather than a Pakistan-specific move.

They added that procedural changes in US non-immigrant visa processing are generally circulated internally by the State Department to all embassies and consulates at the same time, instead of being conveyed through bilateral diplomatic channels.

The directive is expected to come into force immediately, with consular posts already updating their interview procedures.