Nonimmigrant visa applications decreased in 2017

The number of nonimmigrant visa (NIV) applications issue by U.S. State Department consular officers decreased in fiscal year 2017 to 880,000 after increasing annually from fiscal years 2012 through 2016, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. 

Applications previously peaked in 2016 at 13.4 million.

NIVs are issued to foreign citizens seeking temporary admission into the United States, such as business travelers, tourists, and students. Past attempted and successful terrorist attacks have prompted the Department of Homeland Security to identify and intercept travelers who are potential security threats.

These threats include drug smugglers, human traffickers, and potential terrorists.

President Donald Trump issued two executive orders and a proclamation in 2017 establishing nationality-based visa entry restrictions and directing agencies to improve visa screening.

In 2017, the State Department refused nearly 2.8 million NIV applications, approximately 18 percent of the total applications.

Of these, more than 90 percent were because the applicant did not qualify for the visa sought, but 1,338 applications were refused because of the executive orders.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection operates predeparture programs to identify and intercept high-risk travelers before they board U.S.- bound flights.  In 2015, the last year data was available to the GAO, 22,000 people were discovered through the programs.