The Trump administration has put immigrant visa processing on hold worldwide, leaving applicants in limbo, even as it prepares to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 2 lakh foreigners who have sought asylum in the US in what could become the largest mass visa revocation in American history.According to media reports, the State Department has paused immigrant visa appointments at US embassies and consulates globally as it rolls out additional “in-depth training” for consular officers on screening applicants, particularly under the “public charge” standard used to assess whether an immigrant is likely to become dependent on US government assistance.Interviews that had been scheduled are being rescheduled, while the administration has not set a date for the resumption of normal processing. The move affects people seeking immigrant visas to join family members in the US as well as employment-based applicants. It does not cover non-immigrant categories such as tourist, student and temporary-work visas.The latest action is being accompanied by another sweeping measure targeting people already holding US visas. The administration is preparing to revoke up to 2 lakh B1 and B2 visas held by foreign nationals who entered the US on business or tourism visas and subsequently applied for or are seeking asylum. The proposed revocations reportedly cover B1/B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026.If implemented on the reported scale, the measure would constitute the largest single mass revocation of US visas. Officials have indicated that the figure is not fixed and that cancellations could be carried out on a rolling basis.The proposed action does not automatically mean that all those affected would be deported. People with pending asylum claims could lose their status as business or tourism visitors, while their asylum proceedings could continue under the applicable immigration process.The administration has argued that the visitor-visa system should not be used as a pathway to remain permanently in the US through what it considers unfounded asylum claims. The plan, however, is likely to trigger legal challenges.The developments also carry implications for Indian applicants. India is not among the countries covered by the earlier January immigrant-visa issuance freeze, but the new worldwide pause applies to immigrant-visa appointments irrespective of nationality.The State Department’s position is rooted in the longstanding US legal requirement that an applicant who is likely to become a “public charge” can be found inadmissible. The administration is now seeking to place greater emphasis on applicants’ ability to remain financially self-sufficient as it recalibrates consular screening.The simultaneous moves have created uncertainty for thousands of prospective immigrants and could substantially alter the treatment of foreign nationals who enter the US temporarily but subsequently seek protection through the asylum system.