New reality hits Indian students seeking F-1, J, M visas: Waiting, rejection, and social media vetting

When the U.S. State Department reopened student visa appointments in its embassy in New Delhi and consulates across India on June 26 after a month-long freeze, it should have brought relief. Instead, it ushered in a wave of confusion and caution.

Scarce interview slots, sudden cancellations, and a spike in administrative holds have thrown students and families into disarray, financially and emotionally. And hanging over it all is a stark new reality: the American dream now comes with a warning label.

“The U.S. has opened student visa applications with a clear message: study, don’t disrupt,” New York-based immigration attorney Poonam Gupta told The American Bazaar. “The State Department has resumed processing F, M, and J student visas with a firm warning attached.”

That warning was bluntly reinforced by State Department spokesperson Mignon Houston, who recently stated: “You’re here to study, not to protest or damage campus property.”

That message has rippled across India’s student community. For many would-be scholars, the once-hopeful journey of studying in the United States has become a high-stakes exercise in silence and self-censorship. It begins with the F-1 visa interview, once a rite of passage, now a gauntlet of uncertainty and scrutiny.

Thousands of admitted students across India are still awaiting their F-1 visas, spending hours online refreshing portals and scanning for elusive interview slots. Over the past few months, hundreds of student forums have sprung up, where anxious students, parents, and counselors trade tips on bulk slot openings and strategies for instant booking. Former students and counselors have stepped in as informal advisors, urging applicants to scrub their social media and keep their digital footprint “clean” to avoid raising red flags during the visa process.

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According to Gupta, founder of Summit Legal PLLC, the shift in tone is deliberate and reflective of broader policy changes. “What students need to keep in mind if they want to study in the US is, all visa decisions will include security checks; Social media must be public during application review, and disruptive behavior can lead to visa revocation.”

Students are now expected to avoid even the appearance of activism or dissent—online or offline. This unspoken expectation has seeped into every stage of the visa process, with many applicants reporting increased scrutiny of their digital footprints and online activity.

Manish Shah, an engineering aspirant from Mumbai, recalled how he missed his interview slot by mere hours before the freeze began. Ever since, he’s been on a nightly mission, refreshing visa portals and hoping for a breakthrough.

“When news came of new bulk slots opening a day ago, I scrambled to log in,” he told The American Bazaar. “I got to the waiting room, then the site crashed. By the time I tried again, all the appointments were gone.”

But his deeper concern lay elsewhere. “For the past two weeks, I’ve been deleting posts—old tweets, protest photos, anything with political opinions. I don’t even know what could trigger a red flag. The message is clear: keep your head down, or don’t come at all.”

Many now feel that the visa process is less about academic readiness and more about ideological vetting. Students are being asked to prove not only their qualifications, but also their conformity.

Painful visa rejections and temporary holds

For many, the warnings are more than just theoretical. Painful visa rejections and administrative holds are already disrupting student plans.

Seventeen-year-old Himanshu Sen from New Delhi had it all mapped out. After being accepted into two U.S. universities, he spent weeks consulting counselors, comparing curriculums, joining student forums, and building a virtual life for himself across the globe. “I was already talking to seniors in the U.S., figuring out what the classes are like, even where to shop for groceries,” he told The American Bazaar.

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But that dream came to a screeching halt on the day of his visa interview, when he was handed a 214 (b) rejection. “They said I lacked ties to India. I didn’t even know what to say,” Himanshu recalls.

A 214 (b) visa refusal, which refers to a section of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, means the consular officer was not convinced that the applicant would return to their home country after their stay in the U.S.

Just days later, student visa appointments were frozen nationwide.

“Now I’m stuck refreshing the portal, hoping something opens up,” said Sen. “I haven’t secured admission anywhere else. If I miss this year, I might lose everything.”

Nidhi Gupta, a top scorer from Hyderabad, was devastated to receive a 221(g) administrative hold after her interview. With her Master’s program in computer science starting in mid-August, she’s unsure whether she’ll be able to make it on time.

“I’ve submitted every document—loans, transcripts, financials. What more do they want?” she asks. “Some say I should request to begin online, but that feels humiliating. I didn’t choose the U.S. for a Zoom degree.”

A 221(g) refers to a temporary visa refusal under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. It’s issued when a consular officer is unable to make a final decision on a visa application due to missing documents, the need for additional background checks, or other administrative reasons. While it isn’t a denial, it places the applicant in a state of uncertainty, sometimes for weeks or even months, waiting for further instructions or review.

Others, like Mohini Sood from Chandigarh, are being warned off altogether.

“My counselor literally told me: ‘Are you sure you want to go to America right now? Even a traffic violation could cost you your visa.’ That’s terrifying,” she says. Mohini, who hoped to study public policy, says she finds the current climate ironic and deeply troubling. “U.S. campuses were always about civil rights, about questioning authority. Now it feels like the message is: Come, study, but don’t think too much. Don’t speak.”

Despite the U.S. Embassy announcing thousands of new visa appointments, uncertainty persists. Slots disappear within seconds, and confusion around their availability continues to derail planning for students. Even for those lucky enough to secure interviews, the specter of rejection looms large.

For Delhiite Sen, the stress now spans time zones and timelines. “We’ve spent [hundreds of thousands of rupees],” he said. “My parents pulled money from savings. We’ve already paid deposits. And now we wait—powerless.”

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Immigration attorney Poonam Gupta believes the challenge is not just logistical but deeply psychological. Beyond the stress of admission, securing a visa, and preparing to start life in a new country, there is now a growing sense that students must sanitize their digital lives and self-censor to gain entry.

“Even the most aspirational students coming to the U.S. are now asking: What kind of academic freedom will we actually have once we arrive?” Gupta’s message to students is clear: “Attend classes regularly and act responsibly. All decisions are based on national security. Expect standard vetting procedures at consulates.”