The U.S. State Department has temporarily paused all new interview appointments worldwide for student (F and M) and exchange visitor (J) visas, effective immediately.

This is part of a short-term measure to expand social media screening and enhance vetting procedures for international student applicants.

What Does This Mean?

Existing visa appointments will continue as scheduled — there is no impact on students who have already secured their slots.

New appointment bookings are temporarily paused, but this is expected to be a short-term disruption.

The U.S. government has not yet announced an official end date, but such pauses are typically lifted once procedural updates are completed.

This development reflects a broader effort to align U.S. visa processes with evolving national security and administrative protocols.

This is not a cancellation, but a temporary administrative update. The U.S. remains one of the most sought-after study destinations globally, with hundreds of thousands of international students choosing it each year — a number that continues to grow.

We’re closely monitoring the situation and will continue to keep you informed. In the meantime, let’s stay focused and prepare with your applications and I-20s, so that you are  ready when appointments resume.