The United States government has suspended the scheduling of student visa interviews across its embassies globally, including in Nigeria.
This decision, which took effect on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, stems from plans to enforce tighter vetting of applicants’ social media history.
According to a classified cable sent to diplomats by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and reported by Politico, this temporary measure is meant to give room for the full implementation of updated social media screening requirements for student visa applicants.
“Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued,” Rubio stated.
This means that embassies around the world, including the U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate in Lagos, will stop scheduling new appointments for visa categories like the F-1, M, and J visas.
These visas are typically granted to international students and exchange visitors.
However, interviews that have already been scheduled will not be affected and will proceed as planned.
Rubio explained that additional guidance on the updated vetting rules will be provided soon.
“The guidance on social media vetting is expected in the coming days,” he added.
This development is viewed as a major setback for thousands of students around the world, particularly Nigerians, who plan to study in the United States.
The U.S. is home to a large population of Nigerian students pursuing both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Unfortunately, this policy is linked to broader concerns within the U.S. government over claims that international students have been part of movements promoting antisemitism in American universities.
In addition, the Trump-led administration has increased pressure on U.S. institutions to revise their race-based admission strategies.
Last week, Harvard University was stripped of its Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification.
This meant that it could no longer enrol international students.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security cited Harvard’s refusal to provide behavioural records of foreign students as the reason.
Moreover, federal funds worth \$2.3 billion were frozen, and hundreds of student visas were revoked nationwide.
Last month, PREMIUM TIMES reported that around 600 students across more than 90 U.S. universities have had their visas either revoked or their immigration status terminated.
A Nigerian student, Cynderila Patrick, who graduated from Youngstown State University in Ohio, even filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government after her student visa was cancelled.
Following similar actions by other international students, a federal judge issued a ruling last Thursday.
Meanwhile, Rubio made it clear that visa revocations are likely to continue.
“We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities,” he said.
“A visa is a privilege, not a right.”
Although the suspension is temporary, no official date has been set for when new appointments will resume.
However, For now, students worldwide must wait and watch how the new vetting policy unfolds.
