The United States has temporarily halted new student visa interviews worldwide as it undertakes a review of its vetting procedures, particularly around applicants’ social media usage, ahead of the upcoming Fall 2025 academic intake.

This pause was first reported on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 and has been confirmed by multiple sources. The move affects the processing of F-1 visas, which are issued to international students heading to American colleges and universities.

What’s Happening?

According to reports by Bloomberg and Politico, the pause applies to the scheduling of new student visa interviews at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. Interviews that have already been scheduled may still proceed, although there is no official confirmation on whether they will also be impacted in the coming days.

The suspension comes amid internal discussions by the US Government on whether to expand the scope of social media screening for visa applicants. The proposed changes would involve deeper scrutiny of applicants’ online activity as part of national security and fraud prevention efforts.

The cable sent out by Sec. Rubio reads,

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.

A State Department official told Politico that this is a “temporary operational pause” and that consular posts have been instructed not to schedule new F-1 visa interviews until further notice. The official also emphasised that the department is “committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States.”

Why This Matters for Indian Students?

India is the second-largest source of international students to the US, after China. In the 2023-24 academic year, over 330,000 Indian students were enrolled in American educational institutions. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Indian students apply for US student visas, especially between May and August, to begin their studies in the Fall semester.

For many Indian students and their families, the current timing of the pause is particularly critical. Most students planning to start courses in August or September typically receive their I-20 documents from universities by April or May, and then schedule their interviews soon after.

A delay at this point could derail those plans, especially considering the already high demand for visa interview slots in India. While it’s not yet clear how long the pause will last, it adds an extra layer of uncertainty to an already competitive and often stressful process.

What You Can Do If You’re Affected

• Stay Informed: Keep a close eye on updates from the US Embassy in India and from the US Department of State. Follow official social media handles and sign up for email updates if available. (https://x.com/StateDept, https://x.com/USAndIndia)

• Don’t Panic: If you already have an interview scheduled, proceed as planned unless you hear otherwise from the embassy or consulate. This pause currently applies only to new interview appointments.

Bottomline

This development underscores how international travel — and even educational mobility — continues to be shaped by evolving political and security considerations. While the pause may be temporary, its impact on students, universities, and the broader visa processing ecosystem could be significant if it extends too far into the summer.

We’ll continue to monitor this situation and will update you as soon as there is more clarity from US authorities.

Have you or someone you know been impacted by the US student visa interview pause? Share your story in the comments below.

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