Washington, May 30:
The United States government announced that the pause on student visa interviews will end “sooner rather than later.” Applicants are encouraged to continue applying and regularly check for new interview appointment openings.

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies and consulates worldwide to temporarily stop student visa interviews to add more checks on applicants’ social media activities.

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said ending the pause early would help hundreds of thousands of students planning to study in the US later this year.

India sends the largest number of international students to the US, so Bruce’s comments are especially important there.

Bruce advised, “There may be some delay now. But I encourage applicants to keep checking online for appointment availability. If you don’t get an appointment immediately, keep trying. It won’t take weeks or months.”

She added, “I can’t say exactly when the pause will end, but it will likely be soon.”

The increased checks started during the Trump administration after political unrest in US colleges related to the Israel-Gaza conflict in October 2023. The government criticized some colleges for not protecting Jewish and foreign students during protests.