The first comprehensive arrival statistics for 2025 show that the United States lost roughly 11 million foreign visitors last year, a 4.2 % contraction that contrasts with the 4 % rebound in global long-haul travel. Analysts at the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics lay the blame squarely on a series of immigration and border-security measures rolled out during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Chief among them is Presidential Proclamation 10998, which came into force on January 1, 2026 but was signalled months earlier and created widespread uncertainty in 2025. The order expands a “full” or “partial” entry suspension to 39 countries and adds onerous social-media vetting for most other nationalities. Combined with an earlier proclamation that introduced a US $100,000 filing fee for many new H-1B petitions and a rule authorising social-media screening at ports of entry, the policy cocktail has lengthened visa interview wait times and generated negative headlines overseas.
For travellers, HR teams, and event planners trying to untangle these new rules, VisaHQ can be an invaluable ally: its platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) lets users confirm current U.S. entry requirements, submit visa applications online, and receive one-on-one guidance—helping them anticipate social-media vetting questions and avoid last-minute surprises.
![International arrivals to the United States drop 4.2 % in 2025 as new immigration curbs bite]()
Travel-trade data show that visitation from Canada fell 7 %, from the EU 6 %, and from the Gulf states almost 15 %. Airlines report flat or declining trans-Atlantic load factors even as European carriers restored pre-pandemic seat capacity. U.S. hoteliers say the slide translated into an estimated US $50 billion loss in direct spending, with meetings-and-events business particularly hard hit in coastal convention cities.
Corporate mobility managers now face a dual challenge: reassuring assignees who question personal safety and figuring out alternative hubs for incentive trips and trainings that once defaulted to the U.S. Several Fortune 500 companies have moved regional conferences to Mexico, the UAE or Singapore, citing easier short-term visa processing and fewer reputational risks.
Industry groups are pressing the Administration to issue clearer exemptions for bona-fide business travel ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and to resume the long-shelved U.S. inbound promotion campaign. Until there is movement, experts warn that the U.S. brand may continue to under-perform global travel trends well into 2026.
Chief among them is Presidential Proclamation 10998, which came into force on January 1, 2026 but was signalled months earlier and created widespread uncertainty in 2025. The order expands a “full” or “partial” entry suspension to 39 countries and adds onerous social-media vetting for most other nationalities. Combined with an earlier proclamation that introduced a US $100,000 filing fee for many new H-1B petitions and a rule authorising social-media screening at ports of entry, the policy cocktail has lengthened visa interview wait times and generated negative headlines overseas.
For travellers, HR teams, and event planners trying to untangle these new rules, VisaHQ can be an invaluable ally: its platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) lets users confirm current U.S. entry requirements, submit visa applications online, and receive one-on-one guidance—helping them anticipate social-media vetting questions and avoid last-minute surprises.
Travel-trade data show that visitation from Canada fell 7 %, from the EU 6 %, and from the Gulf states almost 15 %. Airlines report flat or declining trans-Atlantic load factors even as European carriers restored pre-pandemic seat capacity. U.S. hoteliers say the slide translated into an estimated US $50 billion loss in direct spending, with meetings-and-events business particularly hard hit in coastal convention cities.
Corporate mobility managers now face a dual challenge: reassuring assignees who question personal safety and figuring out alternative hubs for incentive trips and trainings that once defaulted to the U.S. Several Fortune 500 companies have moved regional conferences to Mexico, the UAE or Singapore, citing easier short-term visa processing and fewer reputational risks.
Industry groups are pressing the Administration to issue clearer exemptions for bona-fide business travel ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and to resume the long-shelved U.S. inbound promotion campaign. Until there is movement, experts warn that the U.S. brand may continue to under-perform global travel trends well into 2026.
