Trump administration orders embassies worldwide to halt student visa appointments
The Trump administration has paused new foreign student interviews at embassies and consulates around the world as it considers requiring the vetting of applicants' social media.
A memo sent to diplomatic posts by Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the pause would last "until further guidance is issued". Politico first reported the move.
It has major implications for the hundreds of thousands of students in the US, and millions of prospective applicants.
If the administration goes through with the plan, it could severely slow down student visa processing, and ultimately hurt universities who rely heavily on foreign students' tuition fees.
In 2023-24, the US hosted an all-time high of 1.1 million international students. About 90,000 are from the Arab World, according to estimates, while more than 300,000 are Indian.
This is an escalation of current screening measures that have focused mostly on those who took part in pro-Palestine campus protests last year. Consular officers have, since March, been required to conduct mandatory social media reviews looking for evidence of support for 'terrorist activity or a terrorist organisation', which could be as broad as showing support for the Palestinian cause, according to The Guardian, quoting a department message.
"It seems to be such a controversial thing that's going on, but it shouldn't be, and every nation should take seriously … who's coming in, so if you're going to be applying for a visa, follow the normal process, then all the steps, expect to be looked at and we go on from there," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.
"It is a goal, as stated by the President and Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio, to make sure that people who are here are here and understand what the law is, that they don't have any criminal intent, that they are going to be contributors to the experience here, however short or long their stay is."
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