WASHINGTON– The United States government has ordered its embassies and consulates worldwide to stop scheduling new student visa appointments as it prepares to expand social media screening for applicants, according to a report by CNN.
A diplomatic cable seen by CNN and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructs US missions not to add any more student or exchange visa appointment slots “until further guidance is issued.” Embassies are also required to remove any unbooked slots that were available as of the cable’s release.
The move comes as the State Department conducts a review of how it screens and vets applicants for F, M, and J visas—typically used by international students and exchange visitors. Expanded screening could include deeper checks on social media activity, although the scope of this has not been made clear.
While student visa appointments already require applicants to submit their social media handles, the new review is expected to significantly increase processing times. Former consular officers and immigration lawyers told CNN the timing could lead to serious delays ahead of the new academic year.
“Now is exactly when students would be applying for visas to start school in August,” said Charles Kuck, a US immigration lawyer quoted in the CNN report. “This is designed to significantly damage foreign student enrollment in the fall, and hurt the many universities that rely on these students.”
Though appointments already made will still go ahead, legal experts warn the overall slowdown could affect hundreds of thousands of prospective students, particularly those hoping to start studies in the US this August.
A State Department official confirmed the authenticity of the cable to CNN, while a spokesperson said the Department is committed to using “every tool in our tool chest” to vet all applicants thoroughly.
Discussion about this post