What’s Happening

On May 27, 2025, in an internal State Department (DOS) cable obtained by several news outlets including CBS, The Associated Press, and Politico, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies to stop scheduling F-1 and M-1 student visa and J-1 exchange visitor visa appointments until further notice. This pause is intended to be temporary, but will remain in place until the State Department provides embassies with updated guidelines on screening applicants’ social media. There is no official guidance on what the additional social media screening and vetting will look like. However, the Trump Administration’s general practice of looking at visa applicants’ social media indicates the social media screening will focus on “terrorism” and “antisemitism” as part of the administration’s broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrations on university campuses. Although there is no specified duration for the pause, the cable indicated that further guidance is anticipated “in the coming days.” 

With the exception of Canadians, all students and exchange visitors traveling to the U.S. to study or work must attend an interview at a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad and be issued a visa stamp before they are able to travel to the U.S. and commence studies or work permitted under their F-1, M-1, or J-1 status.