The United States government has ordered its embassies and consulates around the world to resume issuing student and exchange visitor visas for individuals intending to study or conduct research at Harvard University, following a court ruling that halted a previous visa restriction directive.
This was revealed in a diplomatic cable issued by the US State Department on Friday, which stated:
“Effective immediately, consular sections must resume processing of Harvard University student and exchange visitor visas,” and further instructed that “no such applications should be refused” based on the previously issued presidential proclamation.
The directive came after US District Judge Allison Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking the Trump administration’s latest attempt to restrict international students from entering the country to attend Harvard University.
Court case continues
The broader legal confrontation between Harvard University and the Trump administration over international student visa restrictions remains ongoing.
While the TRO temporarily suspends the enforcement of the proclamation, the court case continues. A major hearing is scheduled for next week to further address the dispute.
Harvard previously informed Judge Burroughs that visa applicants were encountering delays and denials, which added to the urgency of the case.
The diplomatic cable, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasized that the return to “standard processing” was “in accordance with the TRO,” a signal that the State Department was complying with the judicial decision.
The instruction aims to assure international students that their visa applications will not be subject to the restrictions previously mandated by the presidential proclamation.
What you should know
Nairametrics reported in April when the U.S. government began revoking the visas of more than 1,400 international students across 240 universities, including Harvard.
These actions targeted individuals involved in pro‑Palestine protests on campuses, signaling a more aggressive approach to scrutinize foreign-student activism.
- The Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Kristi Noem escalated pressure on Harvard by canceling two grants worth $2.7 million and warning that the university could lose its right to enroll international students if it did not provide records on what she described as the “illegal and violent activities” of some foreign student visa holders at the university.
- The university warned that such an action could reduce the financial aid available to students and force the suspension of some vital medical research programs.
- That threat quickly materialized into action as the Trump administration revoked Harvard’s authority to enroll international students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. This mandates that students currently enrolled as international students transfer or risk losing their legal status.
The United States, in late May, broadened its visa scrutiny by temporarily halting the scheduling of new student visa interviews at embassies and consulates worldwide, as part of a broader move to introduce stricter social media screening for foreign applicants.
This move comes just days after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempted to block Harvard University from enrolling international students, a decision later overturned by a federal judge.
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