28-05-2025
Current J1 visa holders should not be hit by US pause
Irish students who have already received their J1 visas for the US this summer should not be impacted by the pause scheduling new visa interviews for foreign students.
Around 5,000 Irish students avail of the J1 initiative every summer.
The owner of a travel company which specialises in student travel and visas said that very few students are at the beginning of their visa applications.
Michael Doorley said his company, SAYIT Travel, has also spoken to students who are currently in the US and said they have experienced no problems travelling there.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said that "practically all the students who intend to travel to America are through, and very few are lined up to start their process. So it won't really affect very much of the Irish students this year."
The Trump administration ordered US embassies around the world to pause scheduling new visa interviews for foreign students.
The State Department instructed embassies abroad, including in Ireland, to halt student or exchange visitor visa appointments - such as for F, M and J visa programmes - until further guidance is issued.
Students who have already scheduled their embassy interviews will be exempt from the pause.
However, those applying in the coming days may experience a delay in the application process.
Mr Doorley said it is not yet certain how the pause will affect students who might be planning to travel to the US in the autumn for undergraduate or post-graduate studies.
He also said that for the first time his company is also including advisories for students about their social media use while in the US, following the advice already issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs updated travel advice for Irish citizens visiting the US, warning of possible "serious consequences" for those who fail to cooperate with border officials or provide inaccurate information.
Officials said that failure to adhere to immigration law could lead to refusal of entry at the border, detention and possible removal from the US.
Mr Doorley said the news is "out there for students to understand if they have history on their mobile phones, of some maybe social activity that wouldn't please the American situation, just delete or whatever."
He said students travelling to the US for summer work are vital for the tourist industry there, adding that he had met six representatives from New England yesterday, who told him how crucial the J1 students are for tourism.
