In a letter led by Senator Padilla from California, the senators express their concerns “regarding the ongoing unavailability of visa appointments during peak visa application season for students and scholars seeking to enter the US in time for the start of classes”.
“We are hearing from constituents and stakeholders that no timely visa appointments are available for students at some embassies and consulates,” they wrote.
In addition to faster processing, senators urged the State Department to extend interview waivers for vetted returning students and promote greater transparency by resuming posting monthly visa issuance data including processing times, which hasn’t been released since September 2025.
The demand for action comes as US universities prepare for 2026 fall enrolments – with 63% of institutions expecting international student levels to drop, set to cause an overall decline of 9.5%, according to IIE.
But institutions warn the picture might worsen due to ongoing delays at global consulates and the unavailability of visa interview appointments, exacerbating uncertainty about whether prospective students will be processed in time for the beginning of the year.
“These challenges come at a time when major academic institutions need skilled, international talent to begin their semesters,” the senators wrote. “Without a fix, the repercussions will be felt across the academic and skilled-technical talent pipeline.”
In prior years, it was typical for the State Department to prioritise the processing student and exchange visitor visas over the summer, but this year the administration favoured World Cup visitors, while experts said F-1 and J-1 applicants were pushed to the back of the list.
Major academic institutions need skilled international talent to begin their semesters
US Senators
What’s more, the administration expanded its online vetting procedures for study visa applicants last year, which is said to have exacerbated delays initially caused by the state department’s near-month long freeze on new visa interviews in June 2025.
Now, students in Mumbai, India, face multi-month waits for an interview slot while visa issuance to America’s largest source of students dropped by 62% last year.
The August 2026 letter followed a NAFSA campaign calling on stakeholders to press their senators on the urgent issue of study visa processing.
It asks Rubio how many applications have been refused due to enhanced vetting and what steps have been taken to ensure “our national security interests of welcoming bona fide international students in our communities” can still be achieved through timely processing.
It hails the importance of international students to “bolster the American workforce”, “drive innovation” and maintain US competitiveness, while highlighting their economic contribution of nearly $43 billion annually.
Under Padilla’s leadership, the letter was signed by 28 other Democrats and one Independent senator. It gives Rubio 30 days in which to respond.
