U.S. Department of State to Revoke Visas of Certain Chinese Students and Enhance Visa Scrutiny for Citizens of China and Hong Kong

On May 28, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. Department of State (DOS) will work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese students, “including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.”  The announcement also confirmed that the DOS will be revising its criteria to enhance the scrutiny of all visa applications from citizens of China and Hong Kong. Details of the changes that will be implemented and which fields might be most impacted are not yet known. Going forward, all foreign nationals from China and Hong Kong that are in the United States should give very careful consideration to international travel if applying for a new visa will be required, and those from China and Hong Kong who are abroad waiting for visas should also consider the impact, if any, on their situations due to potential delayed visa operations. Employers and schools will also want to consider and understand the impact, if any, that these changes may have on their operations and the personal impact on affected employees and/or students.