Overview

• The State Department suspended student visa interviews at the end of May to pressure universities accused of not addressing campus antisemitism.
• On June 19, the department announced it would resume processing applications under new directives to review public social media posts for any signals of hostility toward the United States.
• Under the new guidelines, applicants must permit consulates access to their public social media profiles or risk denial of a visa interview.
• US consulates have been instructed to prioritize applicants admitted to universities where international students make up less than 15% of the student body.
• International students earned over 1.3 million degrees in US institutions in 2023, highlighting the financial impact of potential enrollment declines.