U.S. halts new student visa interviews amid plans for social media screening, claims reports

The United States has stopped giving new interview dates for student visas. This decision was taken by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Only students who already have interview appointments can attend them, according to a report by Politico.

The decision is linked to the Trump administration thinking about checking social media accounts of foreign students before giving them visas. No new interview slots will be given anywhere in the world until there is new guidance.

Marco Rubio sent a message to all U.S. diplomats saying, “Effective immediately, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued”, as mentioned in the reports.

The message talks about preparing for more social media screening of students. It doesn't say clearly what kind of social media content will be checked, but it mentions executive orders on terrorism and antisemitism, as stated by the reports.

This means the U.S. government might be focusing on security and antisemitism issues in student vetting. The Trump administration has also said that some foreign students may be causing an "anti-Semitic atmosphere" on American university campuses, according to a report by Politico.

FAQs

Q1. Why did the U.S. stop new student visa interviews?
They may start checking students' social media accounts before giving visas.

Q2. Can students with scheduled interviews still attend?
Yes, only new interview slots are paused.