Trump administration orders US embassies to stop student visa interviews

The Trump administration has directed U.S. embassies around the world to immediately halt all student visa interviews, a move that could significantly delay visa processing and deal a major blow to American universities that depend on international students for revenue.

According to a leaked State Department cable dated Tuesday, consular offices have been ordered to stop scheduling new visa appointments for foreign students and exchange visitors under the F, M, and J categories until further notice. The directive is part of a broader effort to ramp up social media vetting for all international applicants.

This development marks a sharp escalation in visa scrutiny, building on recent policies that targeted students involved in pro-Palestinian campus protests. Since March, U.S. consular officers have been mandated to examine applicants‍‍` social media for content that might indicate support for terrorism — a definition critics say is overly broad and politically motivated.

The new measures will extend this intensive scrutiny to all student visa seekers. Consular officials will be required to comb through applicants’ social media posts, likes, and shares across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and X, looking for content that could be deemed a national security threat. The Trump administration has justified this expansion as part of its efforts to combat antisemitism and monitor ideological threats on campus.

Senator Marco Rubio, who is overseeing the policy implementation, recently stated that thousands of visas have already been revoked, a sharp increase from the 300 reported earlier this year. He suggested that even more revocations may follow.

The U.S. currently hosts over one million foreign students, who contributed nearly $43.8 billion to the economy and supported over 378,000 jobs during the 2023–24 academic year, according to NAFSA. The visa suspension adds to the growing challenges faced by higher education institutions already struggling with declining international enrollments.

As of now, the State Department has not responded to requests for comment on the policy change.