Kenyans seeking to study in the United States have received a reprieve after U.S. President Donald Trump lifted a temporary suspension on international student visa processing.
The move comes three weeks after Trump halted new student visa appointments on May 27, citing the need to implement a stricter social media vetting policy for foreign learners as part of broader immigration reforms.
During the suspension, U.S. embassies and consulates were directed to stop scheduling new appointments for student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visa applicants.
In a statement issued by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Department of State confirmed that the temporary freeze allowed for a thorough review of the visa screening and vetting process.
“The Department is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor (F, M, J) visa applicants,” the statement read. “Based on that review, we plan to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applicants.”
On June 18, the State Department announced that visa processing for international students would resume, but under new guidelines. Applicants will now be required to maintain public social media accounts, with failure to do so potentially viewed as an effort to hide online activity.
“Consular officials will now conduct comprehensive social media checks as part of the vetting process,” the department stated. “These enhanced measures are aimed at ensuring we are thoroughly screening every person seeking entry into our country.”
The new rules apply to all student visa categories: F visas for academic students, M visas for vocational students, and J visas for exchange program participants.
This comes amid President Trump’s ongoing crackdown on international education, which has included attempts to deport certain foreign students and suspend funding to major universities. Prestigious institutions such as Harvard University have been directly affected by these policies, with billions of dollars in federal funding reportedly frozen.
While the resumption of visa processing offers relief to aspiring Kenyan students, the added social media scrutiny presents a new layer of complexity for applicants preparing to study in the U.S.
