The United States has temporarily halted the scheduling of new student visa interviews at embassies and consulates worldwide, as part of a broader move to introduce stricter social media screening for foreign applicants.
In a diplomatic cable issued Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed U.S. missions globally to pause all new appointments for F, M, and J category visas, which cover international students and exchange visitors, pending further guidance from Washington.
“Effective immediately… consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued,” the cable read.
Tighter screening process
This latest directive adds to a series of measures by the Trump administration aimed at tightening the screening process for international students, citing national security concerns and claims that some may be involved in antisemitic or disruptive activities on U.S. campuses.
- Interviews already scheduled are allowed to proceed, but embassies and applicants alike are now in limbo, awaiting further instructions.
- The policy shift follows heightened scrutiny of foreign students by U.S. authorities. In March, Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk was detained after co-authoring an op-ed expressing support for Palestinians.
- Although she was later released on bail, the incident signaled increased willingness by federal authorities to investigate international students’ political activity.
“If you apply for a visa to be a student… and you tell us your goal is not just education but activism that disrupts campuses, we’re not going to give you a visa,” he said.
Pressure mounts on Harvard and others
This move comes just days after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempted to block Harvard University from enrolling international students, a decision later overturned by a federal judge.
- Tensions have also escalated between the administration and Harvard, with President Trump vowing to cancel federal contracts with the university, worth approximately $100 million, and threatening to divert billions in research grants away from elite institutions.
- Meanwhile, business figures like Kevin O’Leary, who teaches at Harvard Business School, have called for a more balanced approach. In a recent interview on Fox Business, O’Leary advocated for background checks and post-graduation retention strategies for high-performing foreign students.
“These students are extraordinary… Why don’t we vet them, clear them, and let them build businesses and create jobs here?” he said
