Thousands of students from Ahmedabad aspiring to pursue higher education in the United States are facing an unexpected and urgent challenge: the complete unavailability of student visa interview slots over the past three weeks.
While the January 2025 admissions cycle proceeded without issue, the current intake season for Fall 2025 has taken an uncertain turn. Students who scheduled appointments in February or early March were allotted April interview dates. However, as of mid-March, all available slots for May have vanished, causing widespread anxiety among applicants.
“They have their I-20 forms and admission letters ready, but the current blackout in scheduling interviews is deeply distressing,” said Maulin Joshi, a local visa consultant. “The portal has shown no available dates for weeks now.”
According to Bhavin Thaker, another city-based consultant, the issue began around March 10. “Since then, we’ve been monitoring the portal daily, but no student visa slots have opened up. If this continues, many students risk missing their Fall 2025 start dates,” he warned.
Industry experts believe a system overhaul by the U.S. Embassy could be contributing to the disruption. “It appears the embassy is implementing a technical upgrade to block illegal slot-booking methods,” said Janak Nayak, an immigration consultant. “While necessary, this may be one of the factors behind the current blackout.”
Compounding the problem is the lack of official communication from U.S. authorities. “Last year, we faced high rates of visa refusals despite slot availability. This year, students are facing both uncertainty in policy and now a complete absence of interview slots,” noted Ritesh Desai, who has seen a surge in walk-in queries from worried students.
As the clock ticks down toward critical university reporting deadlines, students and consultants alike are urging immediate intervention and transparency from U.S. officials. Without swift action, many deserving students may find their academic aspirations disrupted.
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