US Tightens, NZ Relaxes Visa Rules; USCIRF Indicts India on Religious Freedoms

September

2026

The US State Department has paused immigrant visa applications worldwide, as it trains consular officers to assess more closely whether applicants could become dependent on US government benefits. The focus is on the 'public charge' standard, under which an applicant can be denied an immigrant visa if officials determine that they are likely to become primarily dependent on government support. Applicants with scheduled interviews received emails saying their appointments were being rescheduled. The US is also proposing a USD 103,265 H-1B visa fee and plans to revoke certain visitor visas held by people who later sought asylum. The proposed increase in H-1B visa fee has drawn opposition from businesses and India's technology industry. Visitor visa holders who later seek asylum could face cancelation of their B1/B2 visas. A report that the US administration is set to revoke up to 200K business and tourist visas has caused anxiety among Indians, particularly Panjabis who have strong family and business links in the US. Siding with the American-Punjabi community, Executive Director of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), Satnam Singh Chahal has urged the US administration to conduct a fair, individualized review before revoking visas. Chahal said, 'The Trump administration, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, is preparing to revoke B1/B2 visas issued between 2016-26 to individuals who subsequently sought asylum or are currently seeking asylum in the US. If implemented at the reported scale, it would represent the largest single mass visa revocation in US history.' Meanwhile, Immigration New Zealand (NZ) has released the final operational details of changes to the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa and related work-to-residence visas, with the new rules taking effect from 24 Aug. The changes are beneficial to Panjabi skilled workers in NZ, many of whom are employed in trades, technician roles, construction, dairy, and other sectors. Under the revised rules, most Skilled Migrant Category applicants will need to meet only one wage threshold—the rate that applied when they began gaining skilled work experience in NZ—rather than having to meet a higher threshold at the time they apply for residence. Meanwhile, on 26 Aug, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its report indicting India saying religious freedoms remain on a downward trajectory citing restrictions on activities of NGOs, censorship, and transnational repression (earlier coverage).