US' new China visa policy might affect 300,000 students. Here's how
In a statement, Marco Rubio said the department will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from China and Hong Kong.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the United States will start revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.
In a statement, Rubio said the department will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from China and Hong Kong.
The fresh move by the Donald Trump administration may jeopardise the future of nearly 300,000 students who have come to study in the country from China.
How can the new US visa policy for Chinese students affect nearly 300,000?
According to the Institute of International Education, China had the second-highest number of international students pursuing higher education in the United States in 2023/2024, with 277,398 students. If the new policy of revoking visas of students connected with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is applied in a literal sense, the ground can be used against any Chinese national.
Every Chinese national can either directly or indirectly be connected with the CCP if anyone really wants to do so. So all Chinese students in America will be affected by the new policy if the US federal government puts their foot down.
More new visa policies in the US
This isn't the only new visa policy that the US State Department has announced recently. On Tuesday, it was reported that the department had halted new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants.
The Trump administration has expanded social media vetting of foreign students and is seeking to ramp up deportations and revoke student visas as part of its wide-ranging efforts to fulfil its hardline immigration agenda.
The Trump administration also announced on Wednesday that it was introducing a new visa ban rule for foreign officials demanding moderation of content posted on American-owned social media platforms.
