Airports across the United States 🇺🇸 are much quieter this fall as international student travel drops sharply. The main reasons are problems with student visas, suspended visa appointments, and a new travel ban that started in mid-2025. These changes have left many students unable to come to the United States 🇺🇸 for the new school year, especially those from India and other major countries that usually send large numbers of students.
The most important change is the big fall in student visa approvals. In May 2025, the United States 🇺🇸 issued 12,689 fewer F-1 student visas compared to May 2024. This is a 22% drop in just one year. For Indian students, the situation is even worse. Reports show a 70% drop in Indian student departures for Fall 2025, with some experts saying the real number could be as high as 80% fewer Indian students coming to the United States 🇺🇸 this year.
One major reason for this drop is the suspension of student visa appointments. From May 27 to June 26, 2025, the United States 🇺🇸 stopped all student visa interviews around the world. This pause happened during the busiest time for student visa processing, causing a huge backlog. Even after interviews started again on June 18, 2025, many students still could not get appointments. The U.S. Embassy in India said that “additional or new appointments for student or exchange visitor visa applications will be extremely limited until further notice.”
When visa interviews resumed, new security rules made things even harder. All student visa applicants now face mandatory checks of their public social media accounts. Officers also look more closely at whether students have strong ties to their home countries, which is a key part of Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Because of these changes, the F-1 visa rejection rate for Indian students has gone up by about 20% in 2025, after already rising 40% in 2024. The overall F-1 visa denial rate reached 41% in 2023–24, the highest in ten years, and experts expect it to be even higher for 2025.
Another big factor is the new travel ban. On June 9, 2025, a new rule stopped people from 19 countries—including Iran, Somalia, and Venezuela—from entering the United States 🇺🇸. There are rumors that more countries could be added soon. Even before the ban started, the number of F-1 visas given to students from these countries had already dropped by 150% in May 2025 compared to the year before.
These problems have changed the usual busy scene at airports. Normally, late July and August are packed with international students arriving for the fall semester. This year, those crowds are missing. Terminals are emptier, and there are fewer long-haul flights filled with students. This is especially clear at big international airports like New York JFK, Chicago O’Hare, San Francisco, Boston Logan, and Dallas-Fort Worth.
Tourist travel is also down. In March 2025, international visitor arrivals dropped about 8% compared to the previous year, and non-U.S. student arrivals fell by about 10%. Domestic travel is flat or even cooling, which adds to the lighter passenger loads at many airports.
The impact goes beyond airports. U.S. universities could lose up to $1 billion in revenue from having fewer international students. Many schools depend on these students, who often pay full tuition. Some universities have more than 15% of their students coming from other countries, making them especially vulnerable to this downturn. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, if the drop in enrollment continues, the United States 🇺🇸 could lose up to $7 billion and as many as 60,000 jobs connected to international education.
For students and their families, the situation is stressful and uncertain. Thousands of students, especially from India, are stuck. They either cannot get visa appointments or face unexpected denials, even after being accepted by U.S. universities and receiving their I-20 forms (the official document needed to apply for a student visa). Many are now looking at other countries like the United Kingdom 🇬🇧, Germany 🇩🇪, Ireland 🇮🇪, and the Netherlands 🇳🇱, where the student visa process is seen as smoother and more predictable.
University officials are worried about both the immediate loss of money and the long-term damage to the United States 🇺🇸 as a top place to study. Moody’s, a major financial analyst, warns that schools with many international students face higher financial risks. The Association of International Educators (NAFSA) is urging the government to fix the visa processing crisis and make future policies clearer.
Immigration lawyers and consultants say the main problems are Section 214(b) denials, social media checks, and a lack of clear information from the government. Many students and families feel anxious and frustrated, and some are changing their plans to study in other countries.
Looking ahead, there is still a lot of uncertainty. The full effect on Fall 2025 enrollment will not be clear until September, as some students may still get late appointments or decide to delay their studies. There is also a chance that more countries will be added to the travel ban list, and that the rules for student visas could change again.
Stakeholders are calling for the United States 🇺🇸 government to:
- Increase transparency about visa processing and appointment availability
- Restore more visa appointment slots so students can plan their travel
- Clarify long-term policy to help universities and students make decisions
For those affected, it is important to check the latest updates from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, which provides current information on visa appointments and travel restrictions. You can find official updates and resources on their website.
Here is a summary of the main factors affecting airports and student travel:
| Factor | Effect on Airports & Student Travel |
|---|---|
| Visa appointment suspension | Fall 2025 students couldn’t fly |
| Stricter interviews & social media checks | Higher rejection rates, more delays |
| Travel bans on certain countries | Reduces eligible arrivals |
| Lower visa issuances overall | Decline in new student inflow |
| Cooling air travel generally | Less crowding at airports |
In summary, the sharp drop in international student arrivals—especially from India—due to student visa processing problems, suspended visa appointments, and the new travel ban has left U.S. airports much quieter this fall. This situation brings major challenges for universities, students, and the broader travel industry. Many are now waiting to see if the United States 🇺🇸 will make changes to help students and schools recover in the coming months.
Learn Today
F-1 visa → A non-immigrant student visa allowing foreign nationals to attend academic institutions in the U.S.
Section 214(b) → An immigration rule requiring visa applicants to prove strong ties to their home country.
Travel ban → A government order restricting entry from specific countries into the United States.
Visa appointment suspension → Temporary halt of visa interview scheduling causing delays and backlogs in processing visas.
I-20 form → An official document from U.S. schools needed to apply for an F-1 student visa.
This Article in a Nutshell
International student travel to the U.S. dropped sharply in fall 2025 due to visa suspensions, stricter security checks, and new travel bans, leaving airports emptier and universities facing major financial losses.
— By VisaVerge.com
