India Voices Concern Over Delays for Students as U.S. Halts New Visa Appointments

In response to the United States’ recent decision to pause new student visa interviews, the Indian government has expressed hope that applications from Indian students will be evaluated fairly and efficiently to prevent any disruption to their academic plans.

“While visa issuance is a sovereign function of the United States, we believe that all applications submitted by Indian students should be assessed on merit,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday. “It is important that our students are able to join their academic programmes in the U.S. without delay.”

Earlier this week, the Trump administration instructed U.S. diplomatic missions worldwide to halt the scheduling of new student visa appointments. It also introduced new social media vetting requirements for international students, adding to concerns over delays and increased scrutiny.

Jaiswal noted that during the 2023–24 academic year, approximately 330,000 Indian students traveled to the U.S. for higher education. He added that the U.S. embassy in India recently warned students that failing to attend classes or withdrawing from their academic institutions without proper notification could result in visa revocation.

On a related matter, the MEA spokesperson provided an update on the deportation of Indian nationals from the U.S., revealing that 1,080 individuals have been repatriated since January due to immigration violations.

May 30, 2025 11:10 a.m. 451

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