US Bound: Exciting Changes Ahead – What You Need to Know for a Smoother Journey Starting Next Year

The U.S. government has decided to increase the number of visa interviews for foreigners entering the United States. The intention is to revitalize the U.S. tourism business by issuing visas on time ahead of large-scale sporting events, including the World Cup.

On the 29th (local time), U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Commerce Secretary Gina Lemondo announced in a press release regarding U.S. travel that the number of interviews for visas for foreigners entering the U.S. in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025) will increase by 100 compared to the previous year. They announced that they would aim to increase the number of cases by 10,000. The plan is to issue more visas than in fiscal 2024, when the largest number of foreign visas ever was issued. According to Secretary Blinken, the number of visas issued by the United States to foreigners in fiscal year 2024 reached 11.5 million, a record high. Among these, visit visas were 8.5 million, a 10% increase from the previous fiscal year. It is the highest since 2016 (6.9 million cases). Minister Blinken pointed to the next 10 years ahead of the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games, and the 2031 Rugby World Cup, saying, “The 10 years of ‘sports mega’ will begin in the United States,” and said that visitors to the United States will visit in this regard. He said he would ensure that visas can be obtained smoothly and on time.

Minister Lemondo emphasized, “The travel and tourism industry supports 10 million American jobs and $2.3 trillion worth of economic activity.”

Some analysts say that the Joe Biden administration’s move to expand visas is aimed at having a contrasting effect with former President Donald Trump’s border control policies, such as closing the southern border.

Reporter Kim Se-min unijade@hankyung.com