Why This Warning Matters Now

For non-immigrant work visa holders and their dependents, international travel is no longer a routine administrative step. It has become a legal risk that can derail careers, separate families, and strand individuals outside the United States despite full compliance with immigration laws. The cumulative actions of the Trump administration point to a deliberate effort to discourage entry, re-entry, and continued participation in the non-immigrant work visa system.

This is not conjecture. The policy trail is clear and consistent.

A Pattern of Restrictions Affecting Lawful Visa Holders

Imposed country-specific travel bans blocking lawful visa holders from entering the U.S.
Proposed a $100,000 H-1B fee for applicants applying from outside the United States.
Eliminated drop-box (interview-waiver) visa stamping.
Effectively ended third-country national (TCN) visa stamping for most work visas.
Allowed visa revocations without prior notice, explanation, or due process.
Expanded prudential visa revocations with no opportunity to respond.
Mass-postponed visa appointments under social-media and online-presence vetting.
Reduced daily visa interview slots at U.S. consulates worldwide.
Introduced aggressive social-media screening for visa applicants and dependents.
Increased administrative processing (221(g)) delays without timelines.

These measures collectively transform international travel into a high-risk decision. While none of them formally bar departure from the United States, they significantly reduce the predictability of return.

Targeting Employment-Based Immigration Programs

Attacked the H-1B program publicly, calling it a threat to U.S. workers.
Increased site visits and worksite audits targeting H-1B employers.
Delayed H-4 EAD, threatening dependent spouses’ ability to work.
Expanded Requests for Evidence (RFEs) to routine, previously approvable cases.
Reduced deference to prior approvals of extensions.

These steps erode stability for lawful employers and workers alike. Extension filings are treated as new petitions rather than continuations of approved status, and dependents are impacted not by law, but by delay and uncertainty.

Why Travel Has Become a Legal Gamble

Made travel outside the U.S. risky, even for fully compliant visa holders.
Created uncertainty for employers relying on global talent pipelines.
Signaled preference for deterrence over lawful compliance in work visa policy.

Visa holders now face a system where approval notices, prior visas, and clean immigration histories offer limited protection at the consular stage. Administrative holds, unexplained delays, and discretionary decisions have become common.

Practical Guidance for Visa Holders and Families

For individuals on non-immigrant work visas and their dependents, unnecessary international travel should be avoided. Remaining in the United States and maintaining valid status has become the safest course of action. Until predictability, transparency, and due process are restored, consular processing carries risks that cannot be mitigated through compliance alone.

By: Rahul Reddy

Rahul Reddy is the founding partner of Reddy Neumann Brown PC. He founded our firm in 1997 and has over 28 years of experience practicing employment-based immigration. Rahul‘s vast knowledge of the complex immigration system makes him an invaluable resource and an expert in the field. His personal experience with the immigration system has made him empathetic to each of his clients’ cases and empowered him to help others achieve the American Dream.

Rahul‘s dedication to serving the immigrant community is evident, from his daily free conference calls to his weekly immigration Q&As on Facebook and YouTube Live. He is an active member of the immigrant community and one of the founders of ITServe Alliance. He has been a member of American Immigration Lawyers Association since 1995.