US student visa pause: Key info for international students this year
By : Sandhya
International students flying to America for studying are facing rough weather. Trump administration had come down heavily on the students by revoking F-1 study visas of many students and even cancelling their SEVIS status. To a large extent the revocation of study permits has stopped and SEVIS records restored after court interventions.
The ordeal is not over for the foreign students. US authorities stopped issuance of new appointment slots for student visa applicants and even banned students particularly of Harvard to enter US.
There is a great deal of confusion among the international students who are eager to enroll in US colleges since US universities, including Harvard, are battling legal battles against the Trump administration.
As no official date on when the pause will be lifted has been announced, experts reveal what international students need to know before studying in the US this year.
William Cooper, Marketing Director at William Russell says, “International students who are due to start at US institutions in the summer or autumn of this year are now facing significant uncertainty about their academic future.
The U.S. State Department has paused the scheduling of new student visa interviews (F, M, and J visas) while it continues to expand its background checks and social media vetting processes. This decision comes at a time of peak application season for the Autumn semester, potentially preventing many students from securing their visas in time for the start of their academic courses.
Cooper expects delays in visa processing times. “While some students have still been issued their visas since the pause, others have had visa appointments and interviews cancelled, leading to significant delays in their visa processing time. If you do find yourself facing any delays, consult the embassy and inform your educational institution and any financial institutions about the delay, as it could affect your enrollment date and any loan applications you have ongoing.