US Visa Shake-Up: Indian Students Face New Barriers in 2025

Indian students seeking higher education in the United States are confronting a tougher visa environment after Washington imposed new restrictions, removed pandemic-era relaxations, and introduced policy proposals that could reshape the student experience in America.

The changes affect every stage of the application process, from securing an appointment to maintaining visa compliance. Education experts warn that these measures may delay admissions, increase expenses, and create uncertainty for students and institutions alike.

From early September, the U.S. Department of State has barred applicants from filing non-immigrant visas—including student (F-1), visitor (B1/B2), and work (H-1B, O-1)—in countries outside their citizenship or residence. The move ends a practice widely used by Indian applicants, who had booked slots in Singapore, Germany, Thailand, and other countries to bypass heavy backlogs in India.

With the new directive, Indian nationals must now apply only at U.S. consulates in India, where wait times already stretch from three months in Mumbai and Hyderabad to nearly nine months in Chennai. Exceptions apply only in rare cases where U.S. visa operations are absent in a country.

Visa bottlenecks in India deepened after July, when U.S. missions reduced processing capacity to introduce new digital screening systems. Additional slots were added later, but delays persist. In Ahmedabad, approval rates for student visas have fallen below 50 percent, leaving many applicants unable to travel in time for fall semester. Several students have had to defer admission or shift to alternative destinations.

Education consultancies report that applicants who had started processes abroad are now forced to reapply in India, repay fees, and face longer queues.

As of September 2, most interview waivers have been withdrawn. Minors under 14 and seniors above 79—previously exempt—must now appear in person. Student applicants for F and M categories are required to attend consular interviews without exception, adding further strain to scheduling.

The Department of Homeland Security has also proposed eliminating the long-standing “duration of status” policy. Instead, student visas would be capped at four years. Those requiring additional time—such as Ph.D. candidates or students in Optional Practical Training—would need extensions involving fresh applications, biometric checks, and fees.

The draft rule would also restrict second degrees at the same or lower level, tighten transfer rules between schools, and limit language training courses.

The U.S. Embassy has cautioned students in India against violations, including skipping classes, unauthorized employment, or failing to maintain full-time status. Penalties may include visa cancellation, deportation, and permanent entry bans. Reports from student hubs such as Ahmedabad suggest several denials even for confirmed university admissions, leaving applicants in limbo.

For more than 330,000 Indian students already in the U.S., and thousands preparing to join, the impact is significant:

* Longer appointment waits within India

* No option to apply in third countries

* Mandatory interviews across nearly all categories

* Proposed time limits on student visas

* Heightened risks for compliance failures

These shifts mark a stricter approach to student mobility. For Indian families who continue to prioritize U.S. education, the process now involves higher financial commitments, prolonged timelines, and the possibility of lost academic opportunities.