US visa chaos: universities fear for international students!

US visa chaos: universities fear for international students!

The US government plans far-reaching changes in the allocation of visas for foreign students. Like the website Krone.at reports, the White House describes so -called "eternal students" from abroad as a security risk. In order to counteract this, the Visa for international students will be reduced to four years in the future. This affects not only the F-1 visa for students, but also the J-1 visa for internships and exchange programs.

So far, foreign students have received visas that were designed for the duration of their academic program, which was up to five years in doctoral courses. With the new regulation, the US government argues that the abuse of such visas should become less common, since international academics are generally under sharper control.

Visa for journalists and new application procedures

In the future, visas for journalists will only be valid for a maximum of 240 days. These must no longer apply than the current journalistic use. Applications for extension must now be made by the US immigration authority USCIS, which results in more complex checks. According to the official statement, these comprehensive changes should also relieve taxpayers and maintain the rights of US citizens.

However, the universities in the USA are concerned about these developments. Critics from the university system argue that the additional applications are unnecessary and talented international academics could keep from studying in the United States. These fears are reinforced by the ongoing lack of interview dates in US consulates in Germany. Many foreign students face uncertainties regarding their visa applications, such as the International student website communicated.

Current challenges for applicants

In the past few months there have been delays in the allocation of visa interview dates. Applicants, especially from Germany, wonder if you can get a visa in good time at your studies in August. The universities in the United States advise the students to prepare their documents entirely in order to be able to react quickly to future interview options. The exchange with US partner universities and consulates is maintained, and it is expected to be released soon to release new interview dates.

In May 2025 there was also a worldwide suspension of visainterView appointments, and from June the allocation of new appointments in connection with new rules for reviewing social media profiles was included. Applicants must now disclose their social media accounts, which significantly intensifies the security checks, such as the Br.de reported.

In addition, it should be noted that Visa applicants have had to specify their social media accounts since 2019. It remains unclear how exactly the review will take place, whether manually or with the help of artificial intelligence. Authorities officially look for security risks, which means that critical statements about US policy could be potentially problematic.

The US universities are strongly dependent on international students, and the current visa stop could have a lasting impact on the attractiveness of the United States as a place of study. Therefore, it is recommended to only make flight bookings after receiving the visa and to check the status of the visa regularly.