Can Afghan, Iranian, and Venezuelan Students Renew Visas Now?

International students from Venezuela 🇻🇪, Iran 🇮🇷, and Afghanistan 🇦🇫 are facing some of the toughest U.S. visa limits in years after the U.S. Department of State ordered a broad suspension of visa issuance starting June 9, 2025. The move has sharply reduced options for many who hoped to renew F (student) and J (exchange visitor) visas outside the United States 🇺🇸 and then return to their studies.

What the suspension does by country

Afghanistan and Iran — full suspension

• The State Department has fully stopped visa issuance for all nonimmigrant and immigrant categories for Afghan and Iranian nationals.
• This includes F (student) and J (exchange visitor) visas.
• The order applies to citizens of these countries who are outside the United States and did not hold a valid U.S. visa on June 9, 2025.
• In simple terms: an Afghan or Iranian student who was abroad without a valid visa on June 9, 2025 cannot now get a new visa under the suspension, even if they were already enrolled in a U.S. degree program.

Venezuela — partial suspension

• For Venezuelan nationals, the State Department has halted issuance of B‑1/B‑2 (visitor) visas and F, M, and J (student and exchange visitor) visas.
• This is not a total shutdown: Venezuelan citizens who already had valid visas on June 9, 2025 are allowed to keep using them and the government has not ordered those visas revoked.
• Venezuelan students outside the United States who did not have a valid visa on June 9, 2025 are blocked from getting new F and J visas unless they qualify for a narrow waiver.

Waivers: limited and uncertain

• The policy mentions limited exceptions that require waivers, but it does not clearly explain:
  • Who will qualify, or
  • How often waivers will be granted.
• Advocacy groups and campus advisers report waivers are “unclear and difficult to obtain,” leaving most affected Venezuelan students without a realistic path to renew visas abroad during the suspension.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com indicates the lack of clear waiver standards is causing confusion for international offices trying to advise students for upcoming terms.

Who is unaffected (for now)

• The suspension is not retroactive for people who already hold valid visas.
• Students from all three countries who were issued U.S. visas before June 9, 2025 may continue to use them, provided:
  • The visas remain unexpired, and
  • They still meet the terms of their immigration status.
• Many Afghan, Iranian, and Venezuelan students already inside the United States can stay in their programs and complete their current courses without immediate visa renewal issues.

Travel risk and behavior changes

• A major consequence is travel risk: once students leave the United States, they may find it impossible or extremely hard to get a new visa stamp to return.
• This risk is prompting many students to avoid leaving the U.S., even for emergencies or family events.
• Examples:
  • A Venezuelan student with a valid F‑1 visa may be allowed to reenter while the visa remains valid, but may fear getting stuck abroad later.
  • For Afghan and Iranian students, if they lose or let a current visa expire while abroad, there is currently no path to a new one under the suspension.

Increased vetting and appointment delays

• The State Department has tightened security checks, including:
  • More detailed social media screening, and
  • Paused new visa appointments for many F and J applicants at U.S. consulates.
• For students from Venezuela, Iran, and Afghanistan this means:
  • A formal suspension + tougher vetting + fewer appointment slots = much greater uncertainty.
  • Even where a waiver might be possible, getting an interview slot and passing enhanced checks can take months with no guarantee of success.

Changes to the interview waiver program

• As of September 2, 2025, the State Department sharply reduced the interview waiver program, which had allowed some low‑risk applicants to renew visas without an in‑person interview.
• After that date, most visa renewals, including F and J, now require a face‑to‑face interview at a U.S. consulate.
• For affected students this translates into:
  • Longer wait times,
  • More travel to consular posts, and
  • More opportunities for consular officers to refuse issuance under the suspension rules.

Campus impact and examples

• The policy produces a patchwork of students with different risk levels:
  • An Iranian graduate student who stayed inside the U.S. with a valid F‑1 visa on June 9, 2025 can likely continue research, but may be unable to travel for conferences or family visits.
  • A Venezuelan undergraduate who was home in Caracas without a valid visa on that date may now be blocked from returning even if school, housing, and tuition are in place.
• International student offices emphasize the importance of the June 9, 2025 cut‑off: what mattered then was whether a valid visa was already in the passport.

Scope of the order

• The State Department has not released detailed country‑by‑country statistics on how many students are affected.
• The policy covers every major visa category in scope:
  • For Afghanistan and Iran: the order covers all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories (tourist, work, family‑based immigrant visas, etc.) for those abroad without valid visas on the cut‑off date.
  • For Venezuela: the impact is narrower but hits B‑1/B‑2, F, M, and J visas — significantly affecting tourists and students.

Where to find official guidance

• Students and schools seeking official guidance about F and J categories are directed to the U.S. Department of State’s study visa page on travel.state.gov.
• That page explains basic student visa rules but does not yet include detailed, country‑specific instructions for Venezuelan, Iranian, or Afghan nationals under the current suspension.
• As a result, many rely on:
  • consulate notices,
  • university briefings, and
  • specialist immigration news sites to interpret how the rules apply.

Key takeaway: Unless the State Department issues further exceptions, Afghan and Iranian students outside the U.S. without valid visas as of June 9, 2025 face a full stop on visa issuance. Venezuelan students face a partial suspension with narrow, hard‑to‑obtain waivers. Those who already hold valid visas can still study, but leaving the U.S. now carries far higher stakes.

Quick reference summary

Practical steps for students and universities

1. Confirm whether a student’s visa was valid on June 9, 2025.
2. Advise students to:
   • Avoid international travel if their return depends on getting a new visa.
   • Consult their university’s international student office before any travel.
   • Monitor consulate notices for possible waiver procedures or appointment openings.
3. For students outside the U.S. without valid visas, explore:
   • Whether any waiver criteria might apply (understand these are limited and unclear), and
   • Alternative academic options (remote study or deferral) while the suspension remains.
4. For university offices:
   • Provide clear, date‑specific guidance to affected students.
   • Coordinate with legal/immigration specialists and advocacy groups for updates and possible support.

If you want, I can:
– Convert this into a one‑page flyer for international student offices,
– Draft an email template for affected students, or
– Pull together a checklist of documents likely useful for waiver requests or consular appointments. Which would be most helpful?