Published: June 4, 2026 ⢠3:13 AM IST · Updated: June 5, 2026 ⢠10:01 AM ISTBy TheBriefWire Editorial Team
Key points
As the US enters peak student visa processing season, policy experts have likened the administrationās prioritisation of FIFA World Cup visas to last yearās visa interview freeze ā with fears growing about further enrolment declines next academic year.
āIn the past, the Department of Stateās practice was to prioritise international student visa processing ā¦
Now, they are pulling away from that and prioritising other visas, specifically for upcoming sporting events,ā said Zuzana Cepla Wootson, deputy director of federal policy at the Presidentsā Alliance.
Earlier this year, the US government announced the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (PASS), granting priority visa interviews to World Cup visitors, while F-1 and J-1 visa applicants have been pushed to the bottom of the list, experts said.
Speaking with The PIE News at the NAFSA 2026 conference, Cepla Wootson said the practice was āvery concerningā for the sector, predicting international enrolment drops in future years...