The Trump administration has introduced new rules for nonimmigrant visa applications that could significantly restrict access to asylum in the United States, according to the Washington Post.

A State Department directive reviewed by the newspaper instructs diplomatic missions to ask nonimmigrant visa applicants whether they fear returning to their home country and to deny visas to those who answer affirmatively.

Consular officers are now required to ask two questions: “Do you plan to apply for asylum in the United States?” and “Is there any other reason you would stay in the United States that would prevent you from returning to your home country?”

“For the consular officer to proceed with the visa process, applicants must verbally answer ‘no’ to both questions,” the directive states.

This move is the latest attempt by the White House to sharply reduce the number of foreign nationals granted asylum in the U.S., the publication notes. Under U.S. law, foreigners have the right to apply for asylum while on U.S. soil if they face persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country.

The directive does not clarify what happens if a visa holder who answered negatively later files an asylum application. However, such a scenario could be used as grounds for visa fraud charges and subsequent deportation, WP writes.

“An applicant’s fear of returning to their country of nationality or last habitual residence calls into question the stated purpose of travel and the applicant’s immigration intentions at the time of visa application,” the directive says.

The document also states that “the high number of foreigners seeking asylum in the United States indicates that many foreigners are misleading consular officers during the visa application process.”

Source: www.gazeta.uz