US Halts Student Visa Interviews Amid Plans for Stricter Social Media Vetting

US Halts Student Visa Interviews: The United States has temporarily stopped scheduling new student visa interviews at embassies across the globe.

The Trump administration is getting ready to bring in stricter rules on checking social media accounts of foreign students, leaving many international applicants worried about their future in the US.

According to a cable on May 27, 2025, obtained by POLITICO, the U.S. State Department has ordered all consular sections to “not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity” until further instructions are issued. The directive is part of preparations to implement broader social media screening protocols for foreign student visa applicants.

The order was issued via a diplomatic cable sent on Tuesday by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"Effective immediately, in preparation for anexpansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued," Rubio wrote. According to the cable, more detailed instructions are expected soon. Interviews already booked will continue as planned.

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It added that the State Department “plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applications”.

The move is the latest blow to foreign nationals seeking to study in the US, as the Trump administration intensifies pressure on universities and students alike.

The administration last week revoked Harvard University’s approval for enrolling international students, amid a wider standoff over the school’s response to pro-Palestine protests and its diversity programmes. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the move.

The directive, laid out in a cable sent to diplomats worldwide on Tuesday, marks the latest effort by the administration to restrict foreign students’ entry to American schools over claims that they might threaten US national security or promote antisemitism.

The move raises the stakes of an ongoing battle between the White House and universities — one that initially centered on elite schools such as Harvard University and Columbia University over antisemitism — but that’s morphed into a larger attack over the role of US higher education.

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The Trump administration is set to make stricter rules on social media account checks of foreign students, leaving many international applicants worried about their future in the US.

When questioned about the evolving policy, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated, “We take very seriously the process of vetting who it is that comes into the country, and we’re going to continue to do that.”

Amid the new scrutiny, the U.S. Embassy in India also issued a fresh advisory to international students via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), emphasising the importance of maintaining visa compliance. “If you drop out, skip classes, or leave your program of study without informing your school, your student visa may be revoked, and you may lose eligibility for future U.S. visas. Always adhere to the terms of your visa and maintain your student status to avoid any issues,” the post warned.

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