Indian students face ultimate visa chaos for US fall 2025 semester as visa slots vanish
Over the past three weeks, student visa interview slots have disappeared entirely, triggering widespread concern just months before the Fall 2025 academic intake
- Apr 18, 2025,
- Updated Apr 18, 2025 11:42 AM IST
For thousands of Ahmedabad-based students eyeing a future in the United States, an unexpected hurdle has surfaced. Over the past three weeks, student visa interview slots have disappeared entirely, triggering widespread concern just months before the Fall 2025 academic intake.
While the January 2025 cycle went smoothly, the current intake season has turned uncertain. “Students who booked appointments in February or early March received slots for April. But now, there are no dates available at all for May,” said Maulin Joshi, a city-based visa consultant. “They have admission offers and I-20 forms in hand, but the uncertainty around visa interview scheduling is causing immense stress,” he told TOI.
The disruption began around March 10, according to Bhavin Thaker, another consultant. “Since then, we’ve been checking the portal daily—it’s been blank for student visa slots. If this continues, many students might miss their Fall 2025 intake.”
Industry sources point to a system upgrade being undertaken by the US Embassy to block illegal booking practices. “The embassy is upgrading its systems to prevent illegal booking methods. That could be one of the reasons for the current blackout,” said immigration consultant Janak Nayak.
The radio silence from US officials is compounding the uncertainty. “Last year, visa refusals were high despite availability of appointments. This year, students are battling both policy confusion and unavailability,” said Ritesh Desai, another consultant who noted a spike in student walk-ins seeking clarity.
With timelines closing in, stakeholders are urging immediate transparency and resolution from the US embassy to avoid disruption for students counting on a Fall 2025 start.
For thousands of Ahmedabad-based students eyeing a future in the United States, an unexpected hurdle has surfaced. Over the past three weeks, student visa interview slots have disappeared entirely, triggering widespread concern just months before the Fall 2025 academic intake.
While the January 2025 cycle went smoothly, the current intake season has turned uncertain. “Students who booked appointments in February or early March received slots for April. But now, there are no dates available at all for May,” said Maulin Joshi, a city-based visa consultant. “They have admission offers and I-20 forms in hand, but the uncertainty around visa interview scheduling is causing immense stress,” he told TOI.
The disruption began around March 10, according to Bhavin Thaker, another consultant. “Since then, we’ve been checking the portal daily—it’s been blank for student visa slots. If this continues, many students might miss their Fall 2025 intake.”
Industry sources point to a system upgrade being undertaken by the US Embassy to block illegal booking practices. “The embassy is upgrading its systems to prevent illegal booking methods. That could be one of the reasons for the current blackout,” said immigration consultant Janak Nayak.
The radio silence from US officials is compounding the uncertainty. “Last year, visa refusals were high despite availability of appointments. This year, students are battling both policy confusion and unavailability,” said Ritesh Desai, another consultant who noted a spike in student walk-ins seeking clarity.
With timelines closing in, stakeholders are urging immediate transparency and resolution from the US embassy to avoid disruption for students counting on a Fall 2025 start.