Quick Hits

• On May 27, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered a pause on scheduling new visa interview appointments for foreign national students and exchange visitors applying for F, J, and M visas, in anticipation of new social media vetting procedures.
• This move aligns with President Trump’s broader immigration policy focused on enhancing vetting processes and addressing alleged anti-semitic activities.
• The duration of the pause and the specifics of the new vetting measures remain unclear, potentially causing significant delays for student visa processing as the new academic year approaches.

Background

Since his inauguration, President Trump has concentrated a significant portion of his immigration policy on enhancing the vetting process for benefit applicants and targeting individuals the administration considers involved in antisemitic activities.

On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” This order directed relevant federal agencies to enhance the vetting and screening processes for immigration benefit applicants. On January 29, 2025, President Trump issued another executive order titled “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism,” which broadly instructed federal agencies to take steps to address activities the president considers antisemitic.

In the following months, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of State took high-profile actions to implement these orders. These actions included the widespread revocation of Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records for student visa holders accused of participating in campus protests against the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the arrest and detention of student visa holders accused of alleged anti-semitic activities, and increased screening of social media for alleged anti-semitism. The administration has also focused on specific universities that have resisted complying with its demands related to these issues.

Key Takeaways

This scheduling pause in new student visa appointments appears to be in line with ongoing federal efforts to increase vetting of all visa applicants, with a particular focus on social media activity. Media outlets are indicating that this pause was put in place in preparation for new social media screening requirements anticipated to be announced shortly.

While the length of the pause and the new screening measures remain unknown, this announcement may lead to significant delays in visa processing times for foreign national students. This is particularly true as the summer months progress and incoming international students vie for limited appointments ahead of the new academic year in the fall. Visa applicants can expect increased wait times for visa appointments, even after the current pause is lifted.