Nigerians Affected As US Suspends Student Visa Interviews

MANY Nigerians are to be affected in the United States (US) Government’s suspension of the scheduling of new interviews for student visa applicants worldwide as it considers strict vetting of applicants’ social media profiles.
With the directive issued by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in a cable sent out to diplomats worldwide on Tuesday, May 27, according to Politico, US embassies in Nigeria and many other countries will stop setting up new interview appointments for people wanting to apply for student visas, such as the F-1 visa.
Although this is only temporary, but during this period, no new applicants will be able to schedule an interview, which is a required step in the student visa process.
Rubio, however, ordered that interviews that have already been scheduled can proceed, saying: “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.”
He stated that the guidance on social media vetting was expected in the coming days.
According to The Nation, this development is part of the US Government’s efforts to control foreign students’ entry to American schools over claims they have contributed to an atmosphere that promotes antisemitism.
The administration of President Donald Trump is currently pressuring US universities to change their race-conscious admission policies.
Only last week, it curbed Harvard University’s ability to enrol international students by revoking its Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification due to what the Department of Homeland Security attributed to the university’s refusal to comply with its requests for the behavioural records of student visa holders.
It had earlier frozen $2.3billion in federal funds to the university and revoked the visas of hundreds of foreign students.
Last month, over 600 international students in over 90 colleges and universities had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated. Some of the affected students of graduates have already challenged the actions in court.