The U.S. State Department has temporarily paused the scheduling of F and J visa appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide as it develops expanded social media screening and vetting. This directive was issued May 27, 2025, and is effective immediately.
This is intended to be a temporary measure and does not currently impact H-1B or other visa types.
Impact for Currently Active F and J Students and J Scholars
The ISSO continues to advise caution if you are currently in the U.S. and have international travel plans, especially for F and J international students and J scholars, whom this federal guidance directly impacts. If you travel outside the U.S. during the pause and need to renew your visa, you may experience extended delays to your return, potentially affecting your ability to continue your studies or work.
Impact for F and J Students and J Scholars Who Have Not Started Their UCSF Program
If you are outside the U.S. and have already had your visa issued, you should not be impacted by this pause and should be able to enter the U.S. with the visa that was issued.
If you are outside the U.S. without a valid visa, you will not be able to secure a new visa appointment to enter the U.S. until additional guidance is posted by the Department of State.
What’s Still Unclear
At this time, it’s not yet known whether currently scheduled F and J visa appointments will be honored or how long the inability to secure visa appointments will last. It is also not known whether Canadian citizens are impacted since they do not need a visa stamp issued by a U.S. embassy to enter the U.S.
We are awaiting additional guidance from the U.S. Department of State.
Next Steps
The U.S. Department of State anticipates issuing updated guidance "in the coming days." Once ISSO has a vetted notification, we will post it to the ISSO's News page and send a targeted notification to UCSF-sponsored primary F and J visa holders.
ISSO will continue to monitor developments closely and share updates as more information becomes available. We understand how important clear communication is for our students, scholars, and campus partners, and we appreciate your support and patience as this federal guidance evolves.
Rest assured that ISSO is actively working with UCSF Campus Counsel, sister UC international offices, and our nationwide professional organization on more detailed guidance.
Be sure to reach out to your ISSO Adviser if you have questions in the interim.