The Trump administration has indeed halted scheduling new interviews for international students seeking visas to study in the United States. This decision is part of a broader effort to enhance national security through expanded social media vetting of visa applicants. Here’s what’s happening ¹ ²:
– Reason for the Halt: The State Department is preparing to implement new social media screening procedures for F (academic students), M (vocational students), and J (exchange visitors) visa applicants. The goal is to identify potential security threats by scrutinizing applicants’ online activities.
– Impact on Students* Students with already scheduled appointments can proceed as planned, but no new appointments are being accepted until further notice. This pause may cause delays in visa processing, potentially affecting enrollment timelines for international students.
– New Screening Rules: Consular officers will review applicants’ social media profiles for indications of support for terrorist organizations or expressions deemed hostile toward US citizens, culture, or institutions. They’ll also take and preserve screenshots of any “potentially derogatory” content found during these reviews.
– Affected Institutions: This move may hurt US universities that heavily rely on foreign student admissions. Harvard University, in particular, has been targeted by the Trump administration, which recently revoked its ability to enroll international students or host foreign researchers, though a federal judge has blocked the enforcement of that policy.