Our analysis was covered by VEJA · By Daniel Gullino · August 3, 2026
Donald Trump’s first year back in office did not hit every visa category the same way. Jumpstart analysed official data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of State, and the pattern that emerges is a filter that tightened around permanent residence while leaving temporary categories for documented talent largely open.
Talent and specialty visas stayed open
- O-1 — for people with extraordinary recognition in their field: 93.1% approved in 2025, across more than 34,000 petitions adjudicated by USCIS.
- H-1B — for specialty occupations: 97.8% approved in the first half of the year.
Permanent residence narrowed sharply
Interest in employment-based green cards stayed high through the year, but approval rates fell quarter over quarter.
- EB-1A — extraordinary ability: from 31.4% in the first quarter to 17.6% in the last quarter of 2025.
- EB-2 NIW — national interest waiver: from 14.7% to 4.9% over the same period.
Students absorbed the sharpest shock
In May 2025 the United States temporarily suspended new appointments for academic and exchange visas — timing that caught Brazilians close to the start of the university calendar. In June, F-1 issuances to Brazilians fell 52% year over year, recovering the following month.
Tourism moved less. The volume of B-1/B-2 visas issued to Brazilians dropped in the early months of 2025, but the annual approval rate held above 85%, close to its historical level — fewer visas issued, not a surge in refusals.
Read VEJA’s article: veja.abril.com.br — O impacto do governo Trump nos vistos brasileiros (subscribers only)