Community Update: F-1/J-1 Visa Appointment Resumption

Dear Current and Incoming International Students & Scholars,  

On behalf of the International Center, we hope you are safe and well. This is an update to the International Center’s Community Update  on May 29th, 2025, regarding the pause in visa appointments for F, M, and J visa applicants.  

Original Pause: The original pause in visa appointments was first reported on May 27th 2025, and ordered U.S. embassies and consulates to temporarily stop adding additional visa appointments for F, M, and J applicants while the Department of State explored the expansion of social media vetting. During this time, the International Center received mixed reports of student and scholar ability to book appointments.  

New Guidance: On June 18th, 2025, the Department of State announced the issuance of new guidance on social media review for visa applicants. See Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants. The new guidance, stated to begin within five days, details comprehensive review of social media and online presence of all student and exchange visitor visa applicants. It is reported that the guidance instructs visa applicants to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to “public,” and that consular officers should review for indications of the applicant’s “hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States; advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to U.S. national security; support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence; and history of political activism.”  The International Center is monitoring the situation and will provide additional information as we learn more. In the meantime, we encourage both current and incoming students and scholars to review their public social media profiles, online engagement with controversial content, and overall online presence in preparation for visa appointments.  

Resumption of Visa Appointments: Reports state that the Department of State has instructed embassies to resume scheduling visa interviews with the new guidance in mind. The International Center encourages incoming international students and scholars who have had difficulty booking visa appointments over the last several weeks to regularly check for new availability.  

We will provide further information as we learn more about the developing situation. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions and remember that we are here for you as we navigate these changes together.    

Sincerely,    
  
Anna Garson – She/Her   
Director – PDSO/RO | Tufts International Center | Office of the Provost  
Tufts University International Center   
20 Sawyer Avenue, Medford MA 02155  
617.627.3458  | internationalcenter@tufts.edu   
https://icenter.tufts.edu/  

The International Center works diligently to provide general guidance and support to international students, faculty, and staff at Tufts University. The information provided herein is neither a substitute for legal advice nor serves as a guarantee of eligibility for government-issued visas or benefits. Due to the fluid nature of government policies, the International Center recommends consulting with a qualified immigration attorney for complex cases or specific advice.