U.S. Department of State Process Update for Visa Applicants

What has changed?

Instructions for the process of where non-immigrant visa applications can be completed were updated to restrict the following:

• Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.
• Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere. You can find this list of designated location on the U.S. Department of State webpage for this announcement.

What does this mean for you and what is a non-immigrant visa?

Students who are applying using a Form I-20 for the F-1 visa or a Form DS-2019 for a J-1 visa are non-immigrants. Students coming to the United States to participate in Study & Exchange are under this visa classification. This update will impact your visa process, please review the announcement of this change as certain countries will have designated Embassies or Consulates which will process your visa applications.

When applying for your F-1 or J-1 visa renewal abroad you should consider that this process will also impact on the appointment availability and wait times. Based on this new rule, you will be limited to apply for your visa renewal in the country of your nationality or the country in which you reside outside of the United States.

U.S. Embassy of Zimbabwe Visa Application Pause: On August 7, 2025 the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe has paused all non-immigrant visa appointments. Those already scheduled will be notified when the appointments are re-opened. ISSS is tracking this for updates and will provide them as soon as they become available. Read the news release from the U.S. Embassy.

New Student Arrival Information: All new incoming international students should attend International Orientation on August 15, 2025. Emails have been sent to your personal email from the International and Graduate Admissions team for registering for the event and others going on! 

ISSS Workshops and Walk-in Appointments will begin in the Fall 2025 semester. Updates provided to your student email. 

July 22, 2025

Visa interviews are ongoing around the world with a few exceptions where the new vetting processes introduced under the Presidential Proclamation dated on June 4, 2025 are still being implemented.

New students arriving for the Fall 2025 semester have begun arriving as early as July 19, 2025!

June 4, 2025

President Trump issued a proclamation that fully or partially restricts the entry of nationals from specific countries, to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT Monday, June 9, 2025.

The proclamation suspends entry for all nationals of the following 12 countries as immigrants and nonimmigrants: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. This includes students and scholars on F-1, J-1 and H-1B visas, along with any associated dependents.

The proclamation also suspends entry for all nationals of the following 7 countries as immigrants or as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M and J visas: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. This includes students and scholars on F-1 and J-1 visas, along with any associated dependents.

 This proclamation does not impact:

• Students and scholars currently in the United States.
• Students and scholars outside the United States who have a valid visa issued prior to June 9, 2025.

Certain other exceptions also apply.

If you are outside the U.S. and your visa has not been renewed or issued by June 9, contact your academic department and international student or scholar adviser.

Any additional updates regarding entry restrictions will be posted on the ISSS website. If you have questions or concerns, advising for international students and scholars is available through in-person walk-ins or online appointments. You can also contact your ISSS adviser by email.