U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered American embassies worldwide to halt scheduling new interviews for student visa applicants, as the Trump administration considers expanding social media vetting, according to Politico.
“Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued,” Rubio stated in a directive sent to diplomatic posts across the globe.
The order comes amid heightened efforts by the administration to limit the entry of foreign students, with officials citing concerns that some may have contributed to what they claim is an anti-Semitic environment on U.S. campuses.
Scheduled interviews will still proceed, but no new appointments are to be added until further notice.
In response to the growing backlash, the U.S. government shared a link for student visa applications, but new appointments remain on hold under Rubio’s directive.
Previously, social media vetting had been applied primarily to students involved in pro-Palestinian protests. While the new directive does not explicitly outline what future vetting will target, it references executive orders tied to combating terrorism and anti-Semitism.
State Department officials have raised concerns about the ambiguity of the criteria, questioning how posts — such as a photo of a Palestinian flag — might influence visa decisions and whether such content would justify further scrutiny.
