American dream flickers: Punjab students rethink plans as US halts visa interviews
A combination of sudden policy changes in the US has thrown plans of a large number of Punjab students into uncertainty, just as many were preparing to begin their academic journeys abroad. With American missions halting new student visa and exchange visitor visa appointments, and additional layers such as social media vetting and a 3.5-per cent tax on overseas education remittances now in place, students are being forced to rethink timelines and destinations.
“I had planned out every little detail, from my hostel accommodation to my major and my extracurricular. I was supposed to join the January intake this year at Arizona State University for a business management degree. But, due to the changed immigration policies, my visa process got delayed and deferred. I was then planning to get through the interview and prepare for July intake. Now, even that is out of question.”
Rahul (name changed), a student from Amritsar, who scored more than 90 per cent in his CBSE results this year, seems to have lost hope on his American dreams. Reason? The Trump government announced immediate suspension on interviews for student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa, putting sudden brakes on aspirations of several students like Rahul and putting them in a quandary.
With its ongoing plans to tighten the immigration laws and place more layers of filters for international students coming to the US, the Trump administration has now ordered US embassies around the world to stop scheduling new interviews for international student visas. Additionally, the department concerned will increase social media vetting before granting student visas, with consular offices scrutinising the social media posts, likes and content shared on major social media platforms, including X, TikTok and Instagram, as part of the visa process. Those on the list of visa interview schedule are now scared to even speak about their predicament, lest they get rejected.
The timing of the order, too, is of concern and puts the future plans of many students in jeopardy. This comes just months before the July-September intake for the academic session in most US universities and colleges. Many universities in the USA have also flagged how several international students would not be able to join session in time, consequentially affecting the academic discourse.
Another student (name withheld on request) who was set to join the July session at California State University, one of the largest public universities in the US, for an undergraduate degree in a commerce-based subject, too, is in dilemma. “We don’t know if he should drop a year and wait for things to be better or just pursue some diploma here and not waste his time,” said his mother, who is a professor at the local Khalsa College. “He received the acceptance letter in January and we were preparing for finances for visa process by taking a loan. We had paid the visa application fee and other expenses required for the interview to be scheduled. Now, everything changes,” she said, her concern evident in her voice.
Rajwinderpal Singh, a legal immigration consultant, specialising in US student visa, said that in the past six months, he had counselled 100 students on the student visa process for the US. “It is anyway lengthy, with a waiting period of six to eight months. The average fee that parents pay for a US undergraduate degree is close to $44,000 annually, add to that embassy fee (up to $185) and SEVIS ID fee required for student visas, which is $355 (close to Rs 30,000). After so much, suddenly now everything comes to a halt with uncertainty on when the visa interview schedules will open. This has the kids and their parents under tremendous stress,” he says.
According to NAFSA, an Association of International Educators, more than one million international students were studying in the US in the past year, contributing nearly $43.8 billion to the US economy.
“The directive to pause new student visa appointments has understandably created a wave of concern, especially for students in the final stages of planning their journey to the US,” said Saurabh Arora, Founder & CEO of University Living, a global student housing platform. “Many details remain unclear, including whether the halt affects only new appointments or also those already scheduled. We’re closely monitoring updates and advising students to stay calm, not rush into taking decisions.”
He added that students should also be cautious about their digital footprints, with social media screening becoming a more formal part of the visa review process. “This isn’t about creating a fake image online, but about being aware of what your digital presence communicates,” Arora noted.
Adding to the financial stress is a new 3.5 per cent tax on foreign remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) for education expenses. According to University Living’s Indian Student Mobility Report (ISMR) 2024, Indian students are projected to spend USD 17.4 billion annually on overseas education, including USD 10.1 billion on academic fees alone.
The pause on visa processing comes alongside the Trump administration’s decision to block prestigious institutions like Harvard University from enrolling new international students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP). At Harvard alone, 788 Indian students could be affected, Arora said.
Rohan Sharma (name changed), a 23-year-old student from Kapurthala, who was preparing to secure admission to a US university this fall, said the news hit him hard. “Everything was on track — admission in process, finances arranged and now, everything’s uncertain. It’s frustrating,” he said. “But I’m trying to stay hopeful. Maybe I’ll consider Germany or Australia if this continues. The dream is still alive — just on pause.”
World