Miércoles 4 de marzo del 2026

U.S. Chamber Vice President for Immigration Policy Patrick Shen prepared the following overview of the wide range of administration actions limiting visas for business, leisure, and other travel to the United States from different countries:

Suspension of immigrant visa processing, effective 1/21/26: The State Department indefinitely paused the issuance of immigrant visas (green cards) for applicants from 75 countries until the agency reassesses procedures for determining whether applicants are likely to become financially dependent on the U.S. government.

Visitor visa bond pilot program, effective 8/5/25 and 1/21/26 (depending on country): On August 5, 2025, the State Department issued an interim final regulation implementing a new Visa Bond Pilot Program to run from August 20, 2025, to August 5, 2026. The measure requires certain B visa applicants to pay a bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 as a condition of visa issuance. Starting January 21, 2025, the list of countries whose nationals are subject to the bond was increased to a total of 38.

Visas issued under this pilot program are valid for a maximum of three months and good for only a single entry to the United States. Once admitted, the visa holder may stay no more than 30 days.

‌Expanded travel ban, effective 6/9/25 and 1/1/26 (depending on country): President Trump’s June 4, 2025, proclamation imposed visa and travel restrictions on nationals of 19 countries beginning June 9, 2025. The proclamation imposed a total ban on both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance for 12 of these countries. The remaining 7 countries were subject to immigrant visas plus only B (visitor), F (student), M (vocational training student), and J (exchange visitor) nonimmigrant visas. There is no expiration date for this policy, but DOS will review the policy and submit semi-annual reports and recommendations to the President.

‌A second presidential proclamation, effective January 1, 2026, named additional countries to both the partial and total visa ban list. At present a total of 19 countries are subject to the partial ban and another 19 to the complete ban. The total number of affected countries is 38; Turkmenistan as the only country with just an immigrant visa ban.

Visa integrity fee (OBBBA), effective date TBD: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act created a $250 visa integrity fee for almost all temporary visa holders coming to the United States, ranging from visitors to students and exchange scholars to foreign professionals working in the United States. The government has not yet published any implementing regulation on collection and refund of the fee.

Information collection for ESTA application (proposal), effective date TBD: This U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proposal would expand the information collection required for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application process used by business visitors and tourists to visit the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The proposed rule also would require review of the applicant’s social media activities for the 5 years preceding their application. In addition, the proposal includes requirements for greater detail from the last five or ten years on the applicant’s personal information and family members.

There is no fixed effective date yet as the proposal is still under review by Homeland Security officials. The Chamber submitted comments opposing the expanded information collection on February 9, 2026.