WASHINGTON — A series of major U.S. immigration changes is taking effect October 1 as the Trump administration expands visa screening and enforcement while new fiscal-year rules reshape parts of the green-card and public-benefits systems.
The changes come as the U.S. State Department says it has revoked more than 250,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office.
Officials say the cancellations involve a range of alleged violations, including criminal activity, fraud, violations of visa conditions, abuse of immigration programs and national-security concerns.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott described the approach as part of a broader vetting effort, saying that every visa decision involves a national-security consideration.
More Than 250,000 Visas Revoked
According to the State Department, the visa revocations cover multiple categories of alleged violations.
About 2,300 visas were reportedly cancelled in cases involving so-called birth tourism, where foreign nationals are accused of traveling to the United States primarily to give birth.
The department has also taken action against current and former foreign officials and their family members from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru over allegations involving corruption.
The administration is separately considering additional visa cancellations involving people who entered the United States on B1 or B2 visitor visas and later filed asylum applications.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has criticized what he describes as fraudulent or unsupported asylum claims, arguing that the asylum system is intended for people facing persecution rather than as an alternative route around standard immigration restrictions.
Green-Card Categories Enter a New Fiscal Year
October 1 also marks the beginning of the federal government’s new fiscal year, bringing a new Visa Bulletin from the State Department.
The monthly bulletin establishes the cutoff dates used by many family-sponsored and employment-based immigrants seeking permanent residence.
The October bulletin contains separate Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing charts. Applicants already adjusting their status inside the United States must also follow instructions issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The start of the fiscal year resets annual employment-based immigrant visa allocations, allowing some categories to move forward.
However, movement is not uniform across all categories and nationalities. Some categories advanced while others experienced retrogression.
Indian Employment-Based Applicants Watching Closely
Indian nationals with employment-based green-card applications are among those closely following the October bulletin.
For October 2026, the bulletin lists the following examples for Indian applicants:
- EB-1: February 1, 2023 — Final Action Date
- EB-2: November 1, 2013 — Final Action Date
- EB-3: January 1, 2014 — Final Action Date
The State Department previously announced that its fiscal-year allocation for Indian applicants in the EB-2 category had been exhausted in May.
With the new fiscal year beginning October 1, annual visa numbers are reset, allowing eligible applicants to compete for visas under the new allocation.
Social-Media Screening Expands
Another significant change involves how the State Department reviews applicants’ online presence.
Beginning October 1, additional nonimmigrant visa categories are being subjected to expanded social-media screening.
The expanded review includes foreign media representatives applying for I visas, as well as Canadian and Mexican professionals and their dependants applying under TN and TD classifications.
Applicants in the affected categories are instructed to make their social-media profiles publicly accessible for review.
The State Department says information available through various sources can be considered when determining whether an applicant qualifies for a visa and whether there are national-security or public-safety concerns.
Health-Coverage Rules Also Change
Some changes taking effect around the beginning of the new fiscal year involve government health programs.
Certain non-citizens receiving Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) face tighter eligibility requirements, which could affect continued access to coverage depending on their immigration status and circumstances.
The changes add another layer to an already complicated immigration system in which eligibility can depend on factors including immigration category, country of chargeability, income, priority date and the type of benefit being sought.
Enforcement Has Expanded Beyond Visa Applications
The latest changes come after a series of visa cancellations announced throughout the year.
In August, the State Department said it had revoked more than 175,000 visas. Officials attributed many of those cases to encounters with law enforcement involving offenses such as assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug-related crimes.
Other cited cases involved allegations of reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement.
The administration says the expanded enforcement effort is intended to identify people who violate U.S. immigration rules or pose public-safety or national-security concerns.
What the October Changes Mean for Immigrants
The practical impact will differ significantly from one person to another.
For people seeking permanent residence, the most important factors may include their employment or family-based category, country of chargeability and priority date.
For current visa holders, enforcement and screening policies may be more relevant.
Meanwhile, applicants in newly screened visa categories may face additional review of their online presence, while some non-citizens receiving public health benefits could face new eligibility requirements.
In other words, October’s immigration changes do not represent a single new rule. They combine expanded enforcement and screening with changes to visa availability and green-card processing as the new federal fiscal year begins.
For immigrants and visa applicants, understanding the specific rules governing their individual category will be critical as the new policies take effect.