WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to prioritize visa applications from foreigners who want to visit the United States either to invest in America or attend the 2026 World Cup, 2028 Olympics and other major sporting events.
At the same time, the administration added new criteria for highly skilled foreign workers seeking a specific visa. The new rules would bar entry to those believed to have directed or participated in censoring American citizens on social media through content moderation initiatives that have sprung up across Europe and elsewhere to combat extremist speech.
In a series of cables sent this week to all U.S. diplomatic missions that were obtained by The Associated Press, the State Department said visa applications for businesspeople considering “significant investment” in the United States should be at the top of the list for consideration, along with applications from those who want to travel “for major sporting events that showcase American excellence.”
It is the latest effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to crack down on migrants and visitors entering the US. But with major sporting events planned across the United States, the administration is trying to make sure fans can attend those competitions. Politics are receiving increased attention ahead of Friday’s World Cup draw.
Focusing on foreign sports fans
As part of a broader initiative to control the entry of foreigners into the US, the State Department has said that all those who need visas to enter the country should undergo an in-person interview and background check to screen them for potential national security risks.
This has resulted in long waiting times at many embassies and consulates for interviews to apply for what are known as “B1” and “B2” visas, despite an increase in consular staff.
Last month, Trump announced a new initiative, called the “FIFA Pass,” for foreigners traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup that will allow them to get visa interviews faster. However, he still encouraged them to apply for visas “immediately”.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration has sent more than 400 additional consular officers around the world to handle World Cup visa demand, and that in about 80 percent of the globe, travelers to the U.S. can get a visa appointment within 60 days — something the cable echoed.
The new steps in the cable this week go beyond the FIFA Pass initiative to speed up applications for those who want to travel to the United States for the Olympics and other major sporting events.
The posts “should provide sufficient meeting capacity to accommodate spectators and other fans traveling for events surrounding the (World Cup) tournament,” said one of two telegrams sent on Tuesday. “These should take priority over all other B1/B2 applications except those related to American reindustrialization.”
Others who will be prioritized include foreign diplomats, government officials traveling on official business, temporary agricultural workers, religious workers, doctors and nurses, and students attending academic institutions with less than 15 percent overseas enrollment.
“Postings should ensure that applicants from higher-ranking groups are given priority over lower-ranking applicants and groups, regardless of the demand from lower-ranking applicants,” the cable said. “Posts can significantly reduce the number of meeting places available to lower-ranking groups to meet the demand of higher-ranking groups.”
New visa guidelines for highly skilled workers
A second cable sent to all embassies and consulates on Tuesday laid out new criteria for considering H-1B visa applications, instructing diplomats to “be on the lookout” for those who may have been or are “responsible for or complicit in censoring Americans” online and elsewhere.
Those visas allow American companies to bring people with hard-to-find technical skills to the United States, and President Donald Trump has said he will pay them an annual fee of $100,000.
The department said evidence of this could lead to visa refusal. It defined such information as “adopting global content moderation policies inconsistent with free speech, complying with global content moderation or censorship requirements by a foreign entity, and providing access to private data about US citizens in connection with content moderation.”
Evidence of this could be obtained from an applicant’s resume, employment history, social media profiles and posts, and public statements or writings, the cable said, adding that the State Department is developing tools to make these checks even easier and faster.
It noted that all visa applicants are subject to these criteria, but that H-1B applicants should be looked at most closely “as many work or have worked in the technology sector, including social media or financial services companies involved in suppressing protected expression.”
“You must thoroughly explore their employment history to ensure they are not engaging in such activities,” the cable said, adding that “if you discover evidence and the applicant has been responsible or complicit in censoring or attempting to censor protected expression in the United States, you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible” for a visa.