Department of State Temporarily Suspends Visa Interviews for Foreign Students & Exchange Visitors

On May 27, 2025, the Department of State issued a cable instructing U.S. Embassies and Consulates to pause scheduling new visa appointments for foreign nationals seeking to obtain student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and J visa classifications).  The pause on visa appointments for F, M, and J visas is expected to be temporary, while the Department undertakes review of existing processes and issues updated guidance on expanded social media vetting for applicants in these visa categories. As of now, a timeline for when visa appointment scheduling will resume for these visa classifications has not been announced.

Background

The Department of State has confirmed that it is reviewing screening and vetting procedures for the student and exchange visitor visa classifications, with revised guidance to follow on new procedures including additional vetting of applicants’ social media. The cable directive implements the Administration’s Executive Orders on Combatting Anti-Semitism, Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism and Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, and is consistent with a similar directive on social media screening issued by the Department of Homeland Security in early April.

The requirement to provide social media information as part of the visa application process is not new.  Visa applicants across the spectrum of temporary visa classifications have been required since 2019 to provide information related to social media accounts in the DS-160 online Nonimmigrant Visa Application that applicants submit electronically to the Department of State as part of the visa application process.  However, over the past few months there has been increased scrutiny of social media accounts for visa applicants, individuals going through Customs & Border Protection (CBP) when seeking to enter the U.S., and individuals already in the U.S. in temporary visa status, and particularly F-1 students.

What Students and Employers Should Know

The pause on visa appointments for student and exchange visitor visas and the expansion of social media screening is expected to cause significant delays in visa processing, which may disrupt students’ plans to enroll in U.S. universities for the summer and fall terms. The Department of State has not released the full cable. It is currently unclear whether this pause impacts only individuals required to make an interview appointment, or also extends to individuals eligible for the visa interview waiver. Foreign nationals currently in the U.S. in F, M, or J status with an expired visa stamp should contact immigration counsel and their school’s Designated School Official (DSO) for guidance before departing the U.S.

Gibney is closely monitoring these developments and will provide additional updates as they are announced.  This alert is solely for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.  If you have questions or require assistance, please contact your Gibney representative or email info@gibney.com.