In a move that’s left many students around the world anxious and uncertain, the United States has stopped scheduling new visa interviews for foreign students. The decision comes as the government prepares to expand checks on applicants’ social media activity.
The State Department confirmed the pause on Tuesday, saying it is temporary. It does not affect students who already have interviews booked. The change, however, has cast fresh doubt over thousands of students’ plans to begin or return to studies in the U.S. this summer and autumn.
A diplomatic cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seen by the Associated Press, instructed U.S. embassies and consulates not to add new appointment slots for student or exchange visas “until further guidance is issued.”
“Effective immediately,” the cable reads, “in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consulate sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity.”
Speaking at a briefing in Washington, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce defended the decision.
“We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise,” she said. “This is about security, not shutting people out.”
But critics argue the move sends the wrong message.
“This just adds more uncertainty for students who are already navigating a complex system,” said Sarah Richardson, a legal expert in immigration policy at the Migration Policy Institute. “Delays like this can have serious consequences for their education and their mental health.”
Universities also expressed concern. Many rely heavily on international students, who often pay full tuition and support research programmes that face budget cuts at the federal level.
“This could not come at a worse time,” said Dr. Mark Leighton, admissions director at a large public university in California. “We’re trying to recover from pandemic-era drops in enrolment, and this only creates more roadblocks.”
The freeze follows a string of tough measures by the Trump administration targeting foreign students. Just last week, the government stripped Harvard University of its right to sponsor international students for visas. That decision was swiftly challenged in court and is currently on hold by a federal judge.
In another controversial move earlier this year, the administration revoked the legal status of thousands of international students already studying in the U.S. Some left the country fearing deportation. After a wave of lawsuits, the government walked back the decision and reinstated their status—but it also broadened the rules under which that status could be revoked in future.
Social media screening for visa applicants isn’t new. It began under President Trump and continued under President Biden. But the latest pause suggests a wider and deeper review of digital footprints is on the horizon.
For students waiting on appointments, the consequences could be immediate. Schools are now preparing for yet another round of delays, while students face the risk of missing start dates or even losing scholarships.
“I’ve been planning my studies for two years,” said Aisha Khan, a Pakistani student accepted into a U.S. exchange programme. “Now I don’t know if I’ll make it at all.”
The State Department has not said when the visa interviews will resume. Meanwhile, consulates are waiting for the promised guidance—students are left waiting, too.
