F-1 Visa Chaos: Why Indian Student Approvals Are Plummeting and Thousands Are in Limbo Weeks Before US Fall Semester
The news in this article is no surprise to us at Shorelight. Visa appointment availability in India is at a record low, and following the visa pause that disrupted interviews during the critical Fall 2025 intake, India has been the slowest to recover. Compounding the problem is a sharp rise in visa denials — State Department data suggests rejection rates could reach 50% this fall. Our team continues to work tirelessly to support students and closely monitor the situation.
The ripple effects of this visa crisis are already being felt. Prospective Indian students, traditionally the largest group of international students in the US, are now considering alternative destinations such as the UK, Asia, and the Middle East. These countries are viewed as more accessible and offer strong academic opportunities, signaling a significant shift in global student mobility.
Read more from The Times of India >
Student Visas to Be Upended Under Trump Admin Proposal
We recently reported on the proposed rule change to Duration of Status, and this article offers a solid overview of what we expect once the administration adds it to the regulatory agenda. In 2019, DHS received more than 30,000 comments on a similar proposal. The Trump administration was unable to finalize the change, and the Biden administration later dropped it. This time, we anticipate the rule will move forward — though stakeholders across higher education and the business community are preparing to push back. We will continue to monitor developments closely.
The proposal would limit how long F-1 and J-1 visa holders could remain authorized without seeking a renewal, replacing the current program length authorization, marking a major departure from decades of practice that allowed enrollment-tied stays.
As Trump Pushes International Students Away, Asian Schools Scoop Them Up
There isn’t a lot of new information in this article, but it does a great job of outlining the reasons that international students are considering other country options beyond the US and how other countries are trying to capitalize on the current opportunities. It is also clear that countries are learning from some of the hard lessons from the Big Four.
“Many saw the U.S. as offering more freedom and an escape from rigid social pressures in Korea,” Mr. Huguet said. “Now they fear visa revocations, invasive online presence reviews and a chilled campus climate, which is the opposite of what they were hoping for.”
