US visa delays leave Chinese students stranded with ‘frozen’ plans and ‘constant anxiety’

In late August, a surge of Chinese students arrive at US campuses, but visa processing delays and heightened diplomatic tensions have turned their scheduled departures into indefinite delays. Stringent visa scrutiny and expanded background checks have left them in a state of limbo, delaying their arrival in the US and forcing them to reschedule their enrollment. The "administrative processing" or visa checks require applicants to submit additional documents and undergo security reviews before their visas are approved.

Ray Zhou, a master's degree student in computer science from Beijing, had his enrolment deferred as the checks stretched beyond two months. The prolonged anxiety caused him to shift his mindset from relief to overwhelming concern. Many students across China have taken to social media, expressing their concerns about the extended security checks that threaten to disrupt their carefully planned future.

Zhou's support group of over 100 students in similar situations revealed the wide range of affected students, with backgrounds spanning from business and humanities to STEM fields. Under President Trump's first term, stricter controls on international students in STEM fields were imposed, but under the second administration, these measures now extend to various academic programmes. The definition of "sensitive" has become so broad that even non-research-oriented programmes are getting caught up in the scrutiny.

The visa bottleneck coincides with tightening immigration policies in Washington, including a proposed regulation to raise fees for skilled worker visas to over US$103,000. Additionally, international students on F-1 visas will only be allowed to stay in the US for an initial period of up to four years, down from the previous "duration of status." The post-graduation grace period has also been halved from 60 days to 30 days.

Students are resorting to desperate measures to expedite their cases, contacting senators and universities without much success. The psychological toll of the situation has become unbearable for some, making them easy targets for online scammers claiming to have connections at the embassy. The coalition of 32 university associations warned of potential discouragement of international enrolment if processing delays continue.

Some students, like Hu, who obtained a visa in 2024, are now facing uncertain futures due to the prolonged processing delays. The emotional distress of having meticulously planned steps frozen in time is a significant challenge for these students.