The US State Department senior official has confirmed to the Epoch Times that all US embassies globally have been ordered to suspend student visa interviews starting from May 27th. According to Central News Agency, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has stated that visa applicants can continue to submit applications.
This directive to suspend interviews is part of an effort by the State Department to enhance review processes, particularly in terms of social media scrutiny, as outlined in an internal telegram signed by Secretary of State Pompeo.
The internal telegram instructs consular departments not to schedule any additional student and exchange visitor visa (F, M, and J categories) interviews until “further guidance is issued in the coming days”.
The senior official confirmed the authenticity of the internal telegram leaked to the media on the morning of May 27th.
Earlier on Tuesday, US media outlets such as Politico were the first to report that based on an internal telegram they had seen, the Trump administration was ordering US embassies to halt arrangements for foreign student visa appointments as the US government considers requiring all foreign students applying to study in the US to undergo social media background checks – a significant expansion of previous measures.
A spokesperson for the AIT responded to questions from Central News Agency on Wednesday evening, stating that visa applicants can continue to submit applications, and consular departments are adjusting schedules to allow for sufficient time to thoroughly review all pending cases.
The AIT spokesperson emphasized that the Trump administration protects the country and its citizens at the highest standards of national security and public safety through the visa process. Every adjustment to the visa system is based on national security decisions, with every potential visitor to the US undergoing interagency security screening to prevent individuals who could pose a threat to US national security or public safety from entering, which is crucial to protecting American citizens.
The spokesperson explained that non-immigrant visa appointments are scheduled on a rolling basis, reflecting the capacity of embassies or consulates to process cases in accordance with US law, ensuring that applicants receive the necessary review time and preventing individuals who may pose security risks to the US.
Since 2019, the US State Department has required visa applicants to provide social media account information on immigrant and non-immigrant forms. All available information is used for visa screening and review. Regardless of visa category or home country, all applicants undergo continuous review from each application submission, visa review, and throughout the visa validity period to ensure eligibility for entry into the US.
According to Central News Agency, earlier on Wednesday, Taiwan’s Minister of Education, Zheng Yingyao, appeared before the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee for questioning. Members of the Legislative Yuan, including Chen Xiubao of the Democratic Progressive Party, Ge Rujun of the Kuomintang, and Liu Shubin of the Taiwan People’s Party, raised concerns about the impact of the US’s suspension of student visa interview applications on Taiwanese students’ rights.
Zheng Yingyao stated that they would coordinate with the AIT to see how they could assist students and ensure smooth progress in their academic pursuits. Director-General of the Department of International and Cross-Strait Education at the Ministry of Education, Li Yujuan, added that as of this morning, AIT had not received any directives from the US State Department, and interviews that were scheduled are proceeding as usual.