F-1 Ban: US Orders Blind Visa Rejections

In a shocking last-minute move, the US State Department quietly told its consulates worldwide to deny visas to all students heading to Harvard. This was just an hour before a federal judge blocked Trump’s new policy.

The message, sent on Thursday evening, instructed officers not to cancel visa appointments or refund the application fee. Instead, they were told to take the interview, take the money, and then reject any student “beginning a course of study at Harvard University.”

Even printed visas were ordered to be canceled. These denials were not going to happen under the typical 214(b) code. A new rejection code: “HRVD” was introduced just for this purpose.

This follows Trump’s repeated attempts to block foreign students from entering Harvard. So far, the court has temporarily halted his actions, but the US president keeps coming back with more strict policies.

The State Department hasn’t publicly walked back the order yet. One employee, speaking to the media anonymously, called the whole thing “a flat denial to Harvard and only Harvard.” They also pointed out the bizarre requirement to still hold interviews, collect fees, and then reject students—all while knowing the courts might overturn the rule.

For Indian students dreaming of Harvard, this move signals growing chaos—and a reminder that even top admit letters can be torn apart by politics.