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International Desk, 28 May 2025 : The administration of US President Donald Trump has ordered the suspension of student visa appointments at all US embassies worldwide. Additionally, the administration plans to intensify scrutiny of student visa applicants’ social media activities, according to a BBC report. This move is expected to significantly impact embassy and consulate operations.
A confidential directive from the US State Department stated that no new student visa interview appointments will be accepted “until further notice.” However, applicants with pre-scheduled appointments will be allowed to attend their interviews as planned. The directive also introduces stricter vetting of social media profiles as part of the visa application process.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, “We thoroughly review who enters our country, and we will continue to do so.”
The decision is largely attributed to ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and several elite US universities. Trump has accused these institutions of promoting “leftist ideologies,” encouraging anti-Semitic activities, and maintaining discriminatory admission policies. The administration has already withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from universities, initiated the deportation of numerous students, and canceled thousands of visas, though many of these actions have been blocked by court rulings.
Harvard University has become a primary target of these policies. Recently, the Trump administration attempted to revoke Harvard’s ability to admit international students and host foreign researchers, a decision that was later halted by a federal judge. With one in four Harvard students being international, such a policy, if implemented, could lead to severe financial and academic consequences for the university.
Universities argue that these measures infringe upon students’ freedom of speech and their right to education. The suspension of visa appointments has left the future of countless international students aspiring to study in the US uncertain.
AI/MR
