DoS Issues F, M, J Visa Applicant Social Media Vetting Cable and Authorizes Resumption of Visa Appointment Scheduling

On June 18, 2025 the Department of State (DoS) announced that it has issued the expected “new guidance” on social media vetting, and that consulates will resume scheduling F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa appointments soon. See the Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicant, U.S. Department of State press release, June 18, 2025.

Executive Order: Travel Ban Impacting 19 countries

President Trump’s Presidential Proclamation of June 4, 2025: Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats establishes a “full” travel ban on 12 countries (Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen) and a “partial” travel ban on 7 countries (Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela), effective 12:01 am eastern daylight time on June 9, 2025.You can read more by going to:  Proclamation on whitehouse.gov and White House Fact Sheet on the Proclamation. For a summary and details, see NAFSA’s page.

International students and scholars from the affected countries, particularly those seeking F, M, or J visas, will be unable to apply for a new visa, and may face challenges in entering the U.S.  Because the current situation is very fluid, we recommend against travel outside the U.S. for individuals from the 19 countries. We also urge impacted individuals with valid visas to consider entering the U.S. prior to the travel ban effective date of 12:01am EST on Monday, June 9, 2025. ISSS will continue to send updates as we learn more.

 

Temporary Delay in Scheduling New Visa Appointments for F, M, and J visa Applicants

On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced that it will temporarily pause new visa F, M, and J appointments as it expands its social media screenings. You can read more here. Based on a DOS press briefing that took place on May 29, 2025, DOS expects the pause to be brief. They are encouraging applicants to continue submitting applications and to check regularly for the resumption of appointment availability. 

This change may impact visa appointment availability and processing times at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. At this time, we are not aware of the timeline for when new appointments will be scheduled. We recommend checking the U.S. Department of State website and the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country for the latest updates. In addition, please be aware that the U.S. visa application process continues to include vetting of applicants’ social media activity. As always, we advise being mindful of all online activity.

We understand that these changes may raise questions or concerns. International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is here to support you. We will continue to communicate as we learn more. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about your visa status, travel plans, or documentation.

Interview Waiver- Update

Effective February18, 2025, the Department of State has revised the visa interview waiver policy, reversing the prior policy update that went into effect on December 21, 2023. You can read more details about the new policy here. You can also refer to NAFSA’s webpage, which provides more in-depth details regarding this change. Please note that this new policy may impact visa application wait times, so please make certain to check information on the websites of embassies and consulates for the most up to date process and wait times for visa renewals.