The United States has suspended immigrant visas for applicants from Bangladesh and 74 other countries, effective from 21 January. However, tourist and short-term visa holders will not fall under this restriction. To understand how the decision may affect Bangladesh, who will be harmed and who may benefit, Prothom Alo spoke to three US immigration lawyers.
They said the move would adversely affect hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis, as many have pending applications to bring family members to the United States, while others were preparing to apply.
The US immigration system broadly issues two types of visas: immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas. Immigrant visas allow individuals to enter the United States directly with a green card and become permanent residents. These include family-based green cards for spouses, parents, children, siblings, as well as employment-based permanent residency.
Non-immigrant visas are temporary visas, including student visas, visitor or tourist visas, and work visas. Lawyers say that many Bangladeshi immigrants who have obtained US citizenship have already filed applications to bring their relatives—parents, siblings, spouses or children—to the United States. Many others are waiting for their relatives’ visas to be approved.
Due to the newly issued executive order, the processing of these applications will remain suspended, meaning family members will not be able to travel to the US for the time being.
Those who wish to submit new applications for family members will still be able to apply, but visas will not be issued for now. Lawyers added that US citizens who have recently married and wish to bring their spouses to the country will also be unable to do so at present.
US citizen of Nepali origin and immigration law expert Dil Raj Bhatt told Prothom Alo that thousands of Bangladeshi nationals will be affected by the new visa policy. This includes people whose citizenship cases have been pending for years, those on waiting lists for immigrant visa reviews, and even those whose interview schedules have already been set.
Bhatt said there has been no specific announcement on how long the new policy will remain in place. However, he expects legal challenges to be filed against the policy, and the situation may become clearer once court rulings are issued.
How many Bangladeshis go to the US
In the 2023 US fiscal year (October 2022 to September 2023), a total of about 59,254 US visas were issued to Bangladeshi citizens. Of these, 44,674 were non-immigrant visas and 14,580 were immigrant visas.
This shows that most Bangladeshi applicants travel to the US under non-immigrant categories. As a result, the new decision will primarily affect those applying for green cards or permanent residency.
According to statistics from the US Department of Homeland Security, 14,890 Bangladeshis received legal permanent residency in the United States in the 2019 fiscal year. The number dropped to 9,010 in 2020 as visa processing was disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, only 6,180 Bangladeshis received permanent residency. The numbers then began to rise again—10,140 in 2022 and 18,240 in 2023.
Many Bangladeshis who obtain US citizenship send part of their income back to Bangladesh, contributing to the country’s economy. Last year, Bangladesh recorded its highest-ever remittance inflow, receiving USD 32.82 billion. The United States ranked fourth among remittance-sending countries, accounting for 11 per cent of total remittances.
Lawyers say that in some cases, 15 to 16 members of a single Bangladeshi family have pending immigration applications. Based on this, several hundred thousand people are waiting to migrate in phases.
Moin Chowdhury, the first Bangladeshi-origin American lawyer licensed by the US Supreme Court, told Prothom Alo that the decision is inhumane. “Many people are deeply frustrated. If someone gets married now, their spouse will not be able to come. If a child turns 21, they may lose eligibility. If the visa suspension continues for a long time, it will create complex problems,” he said.
What the US administration says
Immigration lawyers say that after obtaining citizenship, some immigrants do not work and instead rely on government benefits, which puts pressure on the US economy. The authorities therefore want stricter screening to ensure that future immigrants do not become dependent on public assistance. This is cited as the reason behind the new visa policy.
In a statement, the US Department of State said the Trump administration intends to stop abuses of the US immigration system through which a group of people drain American public resources. The statement added that immigrant visa processing for 75 countries will remain suspended during this period, while the State Department reassesses its immigration procedures to prevent entry of foreign nationals who may rely on public welfare funds and benefits.
Other visa processing ‘will be faster’
In five months’ time, the United States will jointly host the FIFA World Cup with Canada and Mexico. Amid this, a series of tough measures targeting immigrants, refugees, foreign students and visa applicants has raised questions about the country’s attitude towards tourists.
Lawyers say that although immigrant visas are suspended, other types of visas are not affected. Temporary visas, tourist visas and business visas will not fall under this restriction. Those wishing to travel to the United States, study there, or go for business purposes will be able to apply for visas and, if eligible, receive them.
US immigration lawyer Raju Mahajan told Prothom Alo that since immigrant visa processing is temporarily halted, pressure on embassies will decrease. As a result, applicants for non-immigrant visas—such as tourist, business or student visas—may find it easier to obtain visas, possibly in a shorter time than before. The United States is also encouraging foreign investment, so those wishing to invest will also be able to apply.