U.S. announces new global visa restrictions targeting cybercriminals, family members

The United States has introduced a new global visa restriction policy targeting individuals involved in cybercrime, cyberscams and sextortion, as the Trump administration steps up efforts to combat online fraud and transnational criminal networks.

Immediate family members of those engaged in such activities may also be subject to the restrictions, according to the US government.

The policy, announced on Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, authorizes visa restrictions on individuals responsible for or complicit in cyber-enabled crimes, including online investment scams and sextortion.

The announcement follows growing concerns over the financial and social impact of cyber-enabled crimes on American citizens, particularly online investment scams and the exploitation of minors through sextortion schemes.

What the U.S. is saying

Announcing the policy, Rubio said the move aligns with President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14390 on combating cybercrime, fraud and predatory schemes targeting Americans.

• He said online investment scams, “often orchestrated by Chinese transnational criminal organizations,” have become a significant threat, adding that scammers “have defrauded U.S. citizens of at least $10 billion in 2024 alone while fueling corruption, money laundering, and human trafficking.”

Rubio also highlighted the growing threat posed by online sextortion, particularly against minors.

• “American children also have been specifically targeted by offenders operating overseas for sextortion scams, devastating families and futures,” he said.

According to Rubio, the new visa restriction policy is intended to target those directly involved in cyber-enabled criminal activities.

• “This policy targets individuals responsible for, or complicit in, cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime, such as those involved in cyberscams and sextortion. Immediate family members of individuals engaged in such illicit activities may also be subjected to visa restrictions,” he said.

More insights

Rubio said the visa restrictions form part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to dismantle criminal networks operating across borders.

• “The Trump Administration is deploying every tool at our disposal—sanctions, prosecutions, asset seizures, extradition requests, and international law enforcement cooperation—to dismantle criminal scam networks and impose costs on those who enable them,” he said.

He added that restricting visas sends a clear signal to perpetrators of cyber-enabled crimes targeting Americans.

• “By restricting visa issuance to those who are responsible for or complicit in these criminal enterprises, we are sending a clear message: The United States will go after those who prey on our citizens,” he said.

The new policy is being implemented under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the U.S. government to restrict visas for foreign nationals whose entry could have adverse foreign policy consequences.

The State Department did not identify specific countries or individuals that would be immediately affected by the policy but said the restrictions apply globally to individuals involved in cybercrime and cyber-enabled criminal activities, including cyberscams and sextortion.

What you should know

The visa restrictions come as the Trump administration continues to tighten U.S. immigration and border policies through a series of executive actions and regulatory changes.

• Earlier this month, Nairametrics reported that the Trump administration has unveiled a new immigration rule that would limit the stay of most international students and exchange visitors in the United States to four years, replacing a decades-old policy that allowed them to remain for the duration of their academic programmes.

The proposed rule would require holders of F and J visas to obtain federal approval to extend their stay beyond the four-year period, even if they have not completed their studies, plan to pursue postgraduate education or are eligible for work experience linked to their academic programmes.

If implemented, the measure would represent one of the most significant overhauls of the U.S. student visa system in decades and is expected to affect approximately 1.5 million international students and exchange visitors currently residing in the country.