U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that the United States will begin “aggressively” revoking student visas for Chinese nationals, particularly those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or studying in sensitive academic and technological fields.
The move is expected to significantly impact American universities and U.S.-China relations. U.S. visa policy will now involve more scrutiny, especially for Chinese and Hong Kong students.
“The U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” Rubio said, revealing a plan to enforce tighter controls on Chinese nationals studying in the U.S.
Though exact criteria have not been released, experts warn that even targeted actions may disrupt a major revenue stream for U.S. universities and spark diplomatic tensions with Beijing.
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China’s Foreign Ministry condemned the decision, lodging formal protests and promising to protect the rights of its students abroad. Many Chinese students in the U.S. have expressed shock and concern about their academic futures.
“Broad revocations and blanket bans risk undermining America’s position as a global innovation leader,” warned U.S.-based human rights researcher Yaqiu Wang.
The crackdown aligns with President Trump’s intensified immigration policies in his second term. Harvard University briefly faced visa suspension over alleged China ties before a judge blocked the ruling.
Chinese international students in the U.S. dropped from 370,000 in 2019 to 277,000 in 2024, a trend expected to worsen. Kenyan students seeking overseas education may also want to monitor these changes closely.
Legal experts, universities, and student organizations are preparing to challenge the directive and advocate for narrowing its scope.
For related information on visa policy, read our guide on Kenya’s International Student Visa Policy.
