New Visa Rules: How Social Media Could Affect Student Visas

The Trump administration has made a big change to student visa rules. US embassies around the world have been told to stop scheduling visa interviews for foreign students. This is part of a new plan to check the social media accounts of all international students applying for visas. The goal is to review posts, shares, and comments on platforms like Instagram, X, and TikTok. This could slow down the visa process and affect universities that depend on foreign students. The new rules are an expansion of existing screening measures. Before, only students involved in certain protests were targeted. Now, all student visa applicants will face social media vetting. This means consular officers will look for content they think is a threat to national security. This could include posts supporting causes like the Palestinian movement, which has been tied to the administration's stance on antisemitism. There are over one million foreign students in the United States. These students contribute billions of dollars to the US economy and support hundreds of thousands of jobs. The visa freeze could make it harder for universities to attract and keep international students. This is a big deal because many universities rely on foreign students for money. The new rules could also affect students who have already been approved for visas. There have been reports of visas being revoked, with numbers in the thousands. This means students who thought they were good to go might find themselves in limbo. It's a tough situation for students and universities alike. The state department has not said much about the new rules. They have not responded to requests for comment, leaving many questions unanswered. It's unclear how long the visa freeze will last or how the new screening process will work. One thing is clear: the new rules could have a big impact on international students and the universities they attend.