June 12, 2025
Student and Exchange Visitor Visa Pause
On May 27, 2025, the Department of State issued a cable that states: “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 [via separate telegram], which we anticipate in the coming days.”
The cable allowed that any appointments that are currently scheduled will proceed and visas may be issued. However, no new visa interviews are being scheduled for nonimmigrant categories of F, M, and J. The pause affects first-time visa applicants as well as those seeking a renewal visa.
While we do not yet have guidance what the future social media vetting would screen for, the cable released suggests that the new vetting will be aimed at keeping out terrorists and battling antisemitism.
On May 28, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also made comments that the Department of State would aggressively revoke student visas of Chinese nationals in the coming weeks and months. He did not give any criteria for what will trigger a revocation other than those studying in critical fields and those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Additionally on June 4, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that barred visa issuance to all students intending to attend Harvard University. The Executive Order took immediate effect and was later temporarily halted by a federal judge, but news outlets are reporting that the Department of State continues to deny Harvard’s student visa applicants. The Executive order has the following provisions:
- Suspends entry of F, J, and M students who attempt to begin attending Harvard after June 4, 2025;
- Directs the Secretary of State to consider revoking, in its discretion, visas of current Harvard students in F, M, or J status;
- Allows for a national interest exception as determined by Secretary of State or DHS or their designees.
These actions come after over 1600 student visas were revoked with no warning earlier this spring. The status of those students was later reinstated through court order.
Should you have any questions on how the pause will affect you or your program, please contact our office.