Published on May 27, 2025 by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Last Updated on 1 year by Agencies for Kenya Online News
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.
The order was issued via a diplomatic cable sent on Tuesday by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion 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.
Consular officers will be expected to look at posts, likes, comments and shares on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and X, to check for any signs of content they see as a national security threat.
The suspension of visa interviews comes just months before the new academic year begins, raising concerns that many students may not be able to reach the US in time. Universities across the country are warning that this could affect not just students but also research, teaching, and funding.
Interviews already booked will continue as planned. This latest action adds to growing efforts by the administration to tighten entry rules for foreign students, citing threats to national security and concerns around campus unrest.
The latest move comes as the administration is tightening entry rules for foreign students, citing threats to national security and concerns around campus unrest.
In a cable seen by The Guardian, the administration said the new rule is part of a review of how visas are screened and processed. Since March, consular officers have already been checking the social media of students who joined pro-Palestinian protests, taking screenshots of posts considered “potentially derogatory” even if the content was later deleted.
The wider expansion would apply to all student visa applicants, not just those flagged for activism. President Donald Trump has also accused some universities of promoting far-left ideas, and his administration has linked the new visa checks to efforts to fight antisemitism.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that thousands of student visas had already been revoked. “I don’t know the latest count, but we probably have more to do,” he told senators.
Earlier in the day, the US Embassy in India also urged students to adhere to the terms of their visas. “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 US visas. Always adhere to the terms of your visa and maintain your student status to avoid any issues,” it said.
Earlier, the US Embassy had said that in 2024, India became the top source of international students for the first time since 2008-09, with over 3,31,000 students studying in the US, overtaking China.
The F-1 visa (academic student) allows individuals to enter the US as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, high school or other academic institution. The J visas are non-immigrant visas for individuals approved to participate in exchange visitor programmes in the US. The M visa is for non-academic or vocational studies.
