The United States has restarted scheduling student visa interviews in India, ahead of the Fall 2025 college intake. This move follows a suspension that lasted more than a month. “Posts across mission India have resumed scheduling F, M, and J (student and exchange) nonimmigrant visa applications. Applicants should check the embassy or consulate websites for appointment availability,” a US embassy spokesperson told TOI on Tuesday.
The backlog is expected to be high, as Indian students typically rush to secure visa slots around this time of the year. The temporary halt, which began at the end of May, had intensified demand.
“This is a very encouraging move by US Mission in India. Our visa team has witnessed limited appointment slots now open for aspirants book for visa appointments. We are optimistic that more slots will be opened in the coming weeks for students were aspiring to go to the US. My estimates suggest over a lakh students are awaiting to book visa slots for the upcoming fall 2025 intake,” Vaibhav Gupta, co-founder and COO of study abroad consultancy iSchoolConnect, told TOI.
He added, “This will also impact the sentiment of Indian aspirants planning to go to the US in coming years. Previously the sentiment was at an all-time low, but now morale of the students and parents will be boosted.”
India continues to be the top source of international students in the US. Last year, close to 4.2 lakh Indian students were enrolled in American institutions, marking an 11.8% increase over 2023.
The US Mission in India had paused new student visa appointments in late May due to updated rules involving social media scrutiny. On June 23, the embassy said on social media: “Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to public to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law.”
Three days later, the embassy expanded the policy: “Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.”
The same day, the US State Department reiterated its stance, stating: “US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued. We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all US laws and immigration rules. And we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don’t.”
The backlog is expected to be high, as Indian students typically rush to secure visa slots around this time of the year. The temporary halt, which began at the end of May, had intensified demand.
“This is a very encouraging move by US Mission in India. Our visa team has witnessed limited appointment slots now open for aspirants book for visa appointments. We are optimistic that more slots will be opened in the coming weeks for students were aspiring to go to the US. My estimates suggest over a lakh students are awaiting to book visa slots for the upcoming fall 2025 intake,” Vaibhav Gupta, co-founder and COO of study abroad consultancy iSchoolConnect, told TOI.
He added, “This will also impact the sentiment of Indian aspirants planning to go to the US in coming years. Previously the sentiment was at an all-time low, but now morale of the students and parents will be boosted.”
India continues to be the top source of international students in the US. Last year, close to 4.2 lakh Indian students were enrolled in American institutions, marking an 11.8% increase over 2023.
The US Mission in India had paused new student visa appointments in late May due to updated rules involving social media scrutiny. On June 23, the embassy said on social media: “Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to public to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law.”
Three days later, the embassy expanded the policy: “Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.”
The same day, the US State Department reiterated its stance, stating: “US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued. We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all US laws and immigration rules. And we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don’t.”
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