The administration of United States President Donald Trump has reportedly instructed all American embassies and consular offices globally to suspend the processing of new student visa applications.
According to various media outlets, this directive was issued by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio through an internal cable circulated on Tuesday.
The message outlined the government’s plan to intensify its scrutiny of social media activity belonging to foreign nationals seeking to study in the United States.
A copy of the cable, obtained by AFP, directed that no embassy or consulate should allocate “any additional student or exchange visa… appointment capacity until further guidance is issued.”
It also mentioned that the State Department “plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applications.”
Naturenex gathered that no timeline was provided regarding how long this temporary suspension would last, nor was there any indication of when regular processing might resume.
Speaking on the matter, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce declined to address the cable directly but emphasized the importance the administration places on thorough background checks.
“It’s a goal, as stated by the president and Secretary Rubio, to make sure that people who are here understand what the law is, that they don’t have any criminal intent, that they are going to be contributors to the experience here, however short or long their status,” Bruce stated.
When asked whether prospective students hoping to begin studies in the US before the fall term should anticipate receiving their visas on time, Bruce responded, “If you’re going to be applying for a visa, follow the normal process, the normal steps, (and) expect to be looked at.”
