US Suspends Most Visas for Palestinian Passport Holders

The Trump administration has introduced new restrictions on Palestinian travel to the United States, suspending nearly all visa approvals for holders of Palestinian Authority passports.

According to reports in the New York Times, a diplomatic cable dated August 18 directed US consular officers to deny non-immigrant visas to “all otherwise eligible Palestinian Authority passport holders.”

This effectively blocks Palestinians from Gaza, the West Bank, and the wider diaspora from entering the US for study, business, medical treatment, or family visits.

The State Department has not formally confirmed the policy but said it is “taking concrete steps in compliance with US law and national security.”

Officials added that visa reviews for Palestinian passport holders now require additional scrutiny, which in practice amounts to a blanket suspension.

Palestinians who hold or can apply with a second passport are reportedly unaffected.

The move marks a significant escalation in US policy, following earlier steps that paused visas for Gaza residents.