The recent security incident in Washington, D.C., in late November 2025 has triggered a swift and fundamental shift in U.S. immigration policy, characterized by an emphasis on national security and rigorous vetting. For citizens of developing nations, including Pakistan, this means entering an environment of increased caution and extended processing times.
I. The Catalyst: Incident and Immediate Policy Shifts
A. The Washington, D.C., Incident
On November 26, 2025, a tragic shooting occurred near the White House involving two members of the U.S. National Guard. One service member, Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, died from her injuries. The suspect, an Afghan national, had entered the U.S. in 2021 through a humanitarian resettlement program.
B. Direct Government Response
This event was immediately classified as an “act of terror” and led to two major policy directives:
- Presidential Directive: The administration announced a long-term goal to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries” to allow for a full overhaul of vetting procedures.
- USCIS Vetting Guidance: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued immediate guidance allowing officers to consider “negative, country-specific factors” when vetting applications for most immigration requests.
II. Clarifying “Third World” and Affected Countries
A. The Terminology
The term “Third World Countries” is an informal, outdated phrase, not an official classification. In this context, it broadly refers to developing nations with lower economic indicators or significant security challenges across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.
B. The 19 “High-Risk Countries of Concern”
While the rhetoric is broad, the immediate, targeted USCIS vetting policy focuses on applications from 19 specific high-risk countries.
| High-Risk Countries (Named in USCIS guidance) |
| Afghanistan, Myanmar, Burundi, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen. |
Note for Pakistani Citizens: Pakistan is not included on this immediate list of 19 countries. However, due to the overarching directive regarding developing nations, increased scrutiny for Pakistani applicants is highly probable.
III. Impact on U.S. Visa and Immigration Pathways
The new policies affect both long-term and short-term applications, primarily through increased delays and vetting depth.
A. Long-Term Immigration (Green Cards)
- Mass Re-Examination: The administration has ordered a “full-scale, rigorous re-examination” of existing Green Cards for permanent residents from the 19 “countries of concern.”
- Country of Origin Factor: USCIS officers now have explicit authority to use an applicant’s country of origin as a significant negative factor in their assessment, leading to greater discretionary denials.
- Interview Location Restriction (Effective November 1, 2025): Immigrant visa applicants (Family-based, Employment-based, Diversity Visas) must now be interviewed in their country of residence or nationality. This removes the flexibility to choose a consulate with faster processing, potentially compounding wait times at busy posts.
B. Work, Study, and Tourist Visas (Non-Immigrant)
- No Official Suspension: Short-term visas (Tourism, Student, Business) have not been officially suspended for the majority of developing countries.
- Increased Vetting: Interviews are expected to become more thorough. Furthermore, students and exchange visitors (F, M, and J visas) are now subject to expanded screening and social media vetting.
- Administrative Processing Delays: Applicants from certain regions, particularly those in sensitive scientific or technical fields, should anticipate longer periods of Administrative Processing (security checks), which can add weeks or months to the timeline.
C. Wait Time Outlook
While the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad has been working to reduce backlogs, the new policies create upward pressure on wait times:
- Tourist Visa (B-1/B-2) Appointments: Applicants may still face average wait times of around 11 months (approximately 440 days) for an interview, which can be extended further by post-interview administrative processing.
- Student Visas (F-1): These are typically prioritized, but the new, required social media vetting and security checks may still introduce unexpected delays.
IV. Key Takeaways for Travelers and Applicants
| Category | Outlook | Action |
| Long-Term Immigration | Expect significant delays, stricter re-examinations, and less flexibility in where you can complete your visa processing. | Plan for extended waiting periods (years) and ensure all documentation is flawless. |
| Short-Term Travel | Visas are still available, but the process is slower and more thorough. | Apply for your visa well in advance of your intended travel date (up to a year for tourism). |
| Overall Environment | The U.S. has officially prioritized national security vetting over expedited processing. | Nationals of all developing countries should prepare for a consistently cautious and more complex immigration experience. |
🌐 Expanded Vetting and Interview Requirements: The New Reality for F-1 Student Visas
The U.S. government has significantly heightened the security and screening process for all F (Academic Student), M (Vocational Student), and J (Exchange Visitor) visa applicants. This crackdown, formalized in June 2025 and reinforced by the administration’s late-November 2025 directives, aims to conduct a more comprehensive and thorough vetting of all students and exchange visitors.
I. Mandatory Digital Footprint and Social Media Disclosure
The U.S. government now requires an applicant’s entire online presence to be part of the security screening process.
A. Disclosure Requirements
- Social Media Handles: Applicants must mandatorily disclose all social media usernames/handles for every platform used in the past five years on the DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application) form. This ensures the U.S. government has explicit access to all online profiles for review.
- Public Access: Consular officers are instructed to request that applicants set the privacy on all their social media accounts to “public” for the duration of the visa application process. Profiles that are private or limited in visibility may be construed as an attempt to conceal information, often resulting in suspicion and Administrative Processing delays.
B. Scope of Online Review
Consular officers are directed to conduct a comprehensive review of the applicant’s entire publicly available online presence—not just social media—for content that could be interpreted as:
- Hostile Attitudes: Any posts or associations indicating hostility towards U.S. citizens, its institutions, culture, or founding principles.
- Security Threats: Advocacy for, aid, or support for designated foreign terrorist organizations or any threats to U.S. national security.
- Inconsistencies: Discrepancies between the applicant’s online professional history and the information provided on the visa application forms.
II. Changes to the Interview and Processing Logistics
The new security environment has created concrete logistical changes that impact visa timelines globally.
A. Interview Waiver Elimination
Effective September 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of State significantly curtailed the scope of the visa interview waiver program. The age-based exemptions were eliminated, meaning nearly all applicants, including children under 14 and individuals over 79, must attend an in-person interview for an F-1 visa. This policy applies to both first-time applicants and most renewals.
B. Consular Jurisdiction Restriction
Effective September 6, 2025, the U.S. Department of State requires nonimmigrant visa applicants, including F-1 students, to schedule and attend their interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence. This eliminates the flexibility students once had to seek faster appointments in a third country.
C. Increased Administrative Processing
To accommodate the expanded social media and online review, consular officers are directed to temporarily refuse a case under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This technical step places the case into “Administrative Processing” and allows the officer the necessary time to conduct the thorough vetting.
- Outcome: Students should anticipate that receiving a temporary 221(g) refusal is now a standard part of the new vetting process, leading to significant and often unpredictable delays, regardless of the applicant’s country of origin.
D. Duration of Status Proposed Change
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a proposed rule that would eliminate the current “duration of status” (D/S) policy for F and J students. The proposed change would replace the indefinite stay period with a fixed end date (usually tied to the length of the program, not exceeding four years), after which the student would be required to apply for an extension with USCIS, subjecting them to regular re-assessment and vetting.
III. Key Takeaways for Students from Developing Nations
The combination of the late-November 2025 “Third World” migration pause rhetoric and the formal vetting procedures means student applicants from countries like Pakistan face a much higher bar.
- Plan Ahead: Students must apply for their F-1 visa as early as possible (up to 365 days before the program start date) to build a large buffer against lengthy Administrative Processing delays.
- Transparency is Mandatory: Be prepared to discuss your online history and ensure every detail on your application is honest and perfectly consistent. Any perceived inconsistency or hostility found online is a serious risk for a permanent visa ineligibility finding.
- Prove Strong Ties: The interview is critical for establishing non-immigrant intent. Applicants must clearly articulate a specific, high-value career plan that ties their U.S. education directly to opportunities that require their return to their home country upon graduation.
The overall message from the U.S. government is one of extreme caution: while student visas are still being issued, the process is now driven by security first, and expediency second.
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