Senators Prod State Dept. to Process International Visas

Thirty senators wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging his agency to process international student and scholar visas in time for the start of the academic year. 

Led by Alex Padilla, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, the letter cited “the ongoing unavailability of visa appointments during the peak visa application season for students and scholars.” No timely visa appointments are available for students at some embassies and consulates, the senators said. 

“These challenges come at a time when major academic institutions need skilled, international talent to begin their semesters. Without a fix, the repercussions will be felt across the academic and skilled-technical talent pipeline,” the letter argued. 

Modeling from NAFSA, the association of international educators, and JB International shows that if visa delays continue, international student enrollments in the U.S. could drop by 15 percent in the next year, resulting in $7 billion in lost revenue. Recent changes to visa policies have contributed to a decline in the number of processed visas, according to NAFSA. The State Department paused student visa interviews between May 27 and June 18 and then implemented vetting protocols for students’ social media accounts.

Twenty-eight other Democrats signed the letter, including Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren and Raphael Warnock, as well as Angus King, an Independent. They called on the State Department to “restore priority to interview, adjudicate, and process student visas in time for the upcoming school year.” Lawmakers pushed the agency to extend interview waivers for vetted returning student applicants, adequately staff consulates for timely visa vetting and processing, and engage with stakeholders more transparently. 

They also pressed the secretary to resume posting monthly, accurate visa-issuance data by category (the most recent post was in September 2025) and asked him to explain how “bona fide international students” are still allowed entry under the new vetting procedures.