US visa interview holdup hits Indian and Chinese students: Delays prompt some to postpone university enrollment

The ongoing pause in US immigration visa interview appointments is disrupting study and travel plans for Indian and Chinese students, with some facing last-minute visa scrambles and others being forced to postpone university admissions, Times Higher Education (THE) reports.

Indian students face visa delays

In late August, the US State Department temporarily halted immigrant visa interview appointments at embassies around the world.

The State Department has not announced when the pause will end or when talks will resume.

The disruption is particularly significant for Indian and Chinese students, who represent the largest international student population in the US, the global data provider said.

Indian students have already faced visa delays due to increased security checks. Binita Parekh, an overseas education expert from Bengaluru, told THE that some of the students she works with have already resigned from their jobs after securing admissions in prestigious US universities.

“Despite trying to book visas since May 2026, they could not secure slots on time,” Parekh said, according to THE.

Students reportedly made major financial and personal commitments, including quitting jobs, taking out student loans and preparing for an international move.

Students were forced to travel at the last minute

Parekh told the higher education news provider that one student admitted to the University of Southern California secured an emergency visa in the last week of August. Once the visa was approved, he had to pack up and leave India within 48 hours of receiving his passport.

Several US universities allow international students to arrive between 7 and 12 days after the official start of their semester, giving some students tight travel leeway, THE reported.

However, those unable to secure an appointment during this period face a difficult choice, with some having to defer their studies to a later period.

The US is losing appeal among some Indian students

Visa uncertainty is also making destinations like the UK, South Korea, Japan and Europe more attractive to Indian students, according to Times Higher Education.

According to the report, Parekh said that Indian students are becoming more cautious when choosing the US and are increasingly researching the UK and Europe rather than automatically making America their first choice.

Pushkar, director of the International Center Goa, told THE that the US used to be the “number one choice” for Indian students because of the salaries, job opportunities and the possibility of eventually getting US citizenship.

But the path has become “more challenging,” he said, adding that students are increasingly considering Germany and France, which offer clearer opportunities for a path to citizenship.

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Chinese students were also affected

Chinese students also face disruption. The Times Higher Education cited reports from the South China Morning Post that some Chinese students have been forced to postpone their enrollment in the US until next year.

Richard Coward, founder and CEO of education platform Global Admissions, said the US would still retain its appeal thanks to its strong economy and higher salary opportunities.

“The U.S. economy is the world’s leading economy and there are opportunities for higher wages,” Coward told THE.

He said careers remain the “number one factor” for students when deciding where to study.

Chinese students are increasingly choosing Asia

Coward also reportedly recognized a longer-term trend of Chinese students choosing destinations closer to home.

According to data cited by THE, the number of Chinese students in Japan will reach 131,097 in 2025, just below the 143,200 Chinese students enrolled at UK universities in the 2024-25 academic year.

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