Since the lifting of the near month-long pause on new visa interviews on June 26, US-bound students are still reporting a scarcity of appointments, with delays and cancellations plaguing consulates as they implement President Trump’s enhanced visa vetting.
While there has been some positive movement, there is still “much to be concerned about”, said Mark Overmann, executive director of the Alliance for International Exchange, describing the resumption of interviews as “rocky” and “unpredictable”.
The suspension, implemented on May 27, put a halt to the scheduling of visa appointments for all students and exchange visitors coming to the US at the busiest time of the year for visa issuance.
Impacts are already being felt by US summer programs that rely on the influx of au pairs, camp counsellors, researchers and teachers taking part in summer exchange programs, and anxiety is growing among international students due to enrol in the US this fall.
According to over 90 anonymous submissions compiled by NAFSA, 73% of institutions are anticipating a drop in international enrolments this fall, with 40% reporting that students were turning away from study or research opportunities in the US.
Consulates and embassies in India, China and Nigeria have seen the most cases of cancelled appointments and unavailability, aligning with the largest source countries to the US.
“I’m yet to hear of anyone in my network securing a fresh [interview] date within Nigeria,” Bimpe Femi-Oyewo, CEO of Edward Consulting, Nigeria, told The PIE News.
“Fortunately, most of our students secured visa dates ahead of the freeze… but those searching for new slots haven’t had much luck,” she said.
Some students are traveling to other Nigerian states in search of appointments, said Femi-Oyewo, while expedited requests within the country have been largely unsuccessful.
“Sadly, some outstanding Nigerian students, despite gaining admission to top US institutions and meeting test requirements, might miss out due to the limited visa availability,” she added.
Similarly, in India, the freeze and ongoing delays have had a “significant ripple effect” on students, dampening morale among those due to enroll in US colleges at the start of the academic year, Rachit Agrawal, co-founder of Indian education consultancy, AdmitKard, told The PIE.
“We’ve observed a growing sense of anxiety among applicants, many of whom are still unable to secure appointments at key consulates like New Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad,” added Agrawal.
Elsewhere, consulates in the Philippines and Colombia have reported severe delays, with no availability in Manila until early August and no availability in Bogota until November, according to Overmann.
“[We] even [had] a report of the Cairo embassy telling an applicant that J and F interviews are still paused and they cannot schedule any interviews until further notice,” he added.
Overmann highlighted the particular concern for programs with imminent, time-sensitive start dates, such as teacher and high school exchange programs that are tied to the upcoming school year.
Some outstanding Nigerian students, despite gaining admission to top US institutions and meeting test requirements, might miss out
Bimpe Femi-Oyewo, Edward Consulting
“Without prioritised scheduling, many of these participants risk missing their arrival deadlines, jeopardising the success of their programs and the schools and communities depending on them,” he said.
The Alliance and others have urged the state department to prioritise students based on the start of their programs rather than the current policy which favours those attending universities with international populations of less than 15% – something NAFSA says is creating an “arbitrary two-tier appointment system”.
At the crux of the issue – and the stated reason for the original freeze – is the administration’s roll out of enhanced screening of visa applicants, who have been “requested” to make social media accounts ‘public’ so they can be thoroughly vetted before entering the country.
Not only is the resource-intensive nature of the new screening requirements likely to create longer wait times, but there are also grave concerns about the lack of transparency about what consular officers are looking for.
What’s more, critics argue that the vague and subjective instruction to look for “hostile attitudes” will grant officers broad discretionary power that NAFSA said would “no doubt” lead to inconsistencies in implementation.
At the Alliance, Overmann has heard “multiple reports” of applicants being denied because their social media accounts were not public, with high school exchange students, who are minors, being among those denied.
“We don’t want well-qualified high school students to be penalised just for following best practices for youth online privacy and safety,” said Overmann, voicing concerns about the “unintended consequences that may arise when adult standards are applied to minor participants”.
While many US colleges are offering deferred admissions, distance learning options, and making accommodations for late arrivals, the disruption is causing many students to look elsewhere and is already taking effect on global mobility trends.
According to NAFSA data, students turning away from the US are primarily turning towards the UK, Australia, China and Germany, with interest in the US falling to its lowest level since mid-pandemic.
Given the unpredictable nature of the Trump administration, the current US landscape risks “pushing students to consider alternate destinations like the UK and Europe, where visa timelines are perceived to be more reliable”, said Rachit.
And yet, despite ongoing difficulties in securing visa appointments, “US education remains a top priority for Nigerian students,” said Femi-Oyewo, who has been consulting with many already preparing for 2026 enrolments.
While conceding that some were now also considering Canada and European destinations such as the UK, Spain and France, Femi-Oyewo maintains that the US is “still the first choice for most”.
