Thu May 29 16:06:35 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

U.S. missions globally, including those in India, have temporarily suspended scheduling new visa appointments, particularly student visas, pending instructions from the U.S. State Department on enhanced social media screening of applicants. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) acknowledges that visa issuance is a U.S. sovereign prerogative but hopes the process will be expedited to avoid disrupting Indian students’ enrollment in U.S. universities. This development, impacting a significant number of Indian students pursuing education in the U.S., emerges amidst broader discussions on India-U.S. relations, including trade, technology, and defense cooperation. India emphasizes the importance of timely visa processing for its students, who constitute a substantial portion of international students in the U.S. The issue coincides with ongoing high-level dialogues between Indian and U.S. officials on various strategic partnerships.

**News Article:**

**U.S. Visa Appointments Paused in India Amidst Social Media Screening Review**

**NEW DELHI, May 29, 2025** – U.S. missions in India, along with those worldwide, have temporarily halted scheduling new visa appointments, raising concerns among Indian students hoping to study in the United States. The pause comes as the U.S. State Department prepares to issue new guidelines on enhanced social media screening for visa applicants.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) acknowledged the situation, stating that while visa issuance is a sovereign decision for the U.S. government, it hopes the process will be resolved swiftly. “We hope that the application of Indian students will be considered on merit and they will be able to join their academic programmes on time,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a media briefing. The MEA emphasized the welfare of students as an “utmost priority.”

The U.S. currently hosts over 330,000 Indian students, comprising nearly 30% of the total international student population in the U.S.

This development coincides with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s recent visit to Washington, D.C., where he held discussions with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on various aspects of the India-U.S. partnership, including technology, trade, and talent. While the MEA did not confirm if the visa pause was specifically addressed during the meetings, it asserted that all issues of mutual interest were discussed.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Washington at the end of June for a Quad Foreign Ministers meeting, and India is slated to host the Quad summit in November, indicating continued high-level engagement between the two countries despite the current visa-related uncertainty. The situation is being closely monitored by Indian officials to ensure minimal disruption to the academic aspirations of Indian students.

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