US student visa 2026 new rules for Indians: F-1 fees in rupees, interview, social media, OPT and slot booking

US student visa new rules 2026: what is in force, proposed or blocked

US student visa social media vetting: what "public" means

The State Department's vetting notice (last updated 25 March 2026) says applicants for F, M and J visas, and several other types, "are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to 'public' or 'open'". From 30 March 2026 the same review was widened to more visa types; students were "already subject to this review".

The US Mission India visa page repeats the instruction for F applicants. In practice:

• Switch every account you list on your DS-160 to public before your interview, and keep it public until a decision.
• List your handles honestly on the DS-160. Do not delete accounts in a hurry.

US student visa interview: no waiver for students

The State Department's interview waiver update of 18 September 2025 took effect on 1 October 2025. It says all nonimmigrant applicants, "including applicants under the age of 14 and over the age of 79, will generally require an in-person interview". The few exceptions are diplomatic and official visas and some renewals of B1/B2 and H-2A visas within 12 months. F-1 is not among them.

In India, the interview step page says every applicant must appear in person at the embassy or consulate. Missing it makes you a "No Show": you pay a new fee and restart.

Applying in your country of residence

The State Department's country of residence notice says applicants "should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence". Booking elsewhere can make it "more difficult to qualify", and fees "will not be refunded and cannot be transferred". The India scheduling page and the embassy carry the same rule.

Indian students living in India should book in India. If you live abroad, you may apply there but must prove residence.

US student visa fees for Indians in rupees

• Visa application (MRV) fee: $185 for F, M and J, on the State Department fee page and the India fee page. Fees are listed in dollars but paid in rupees.
• Consular rate: ₹98 a dollar since 25 May 2026 (US Mission India). So $185 = ₹18,130.
• Payment: NEFT, UPI, debit or credit card, or cash at the listed bank branches. The receipt is valid for 365 days to book an appointment.
• SEVIS I-901 fee: $350 for F and M students (ICE), paid in dollars on fmjfee.com, not at the embassy.
• Visa integrity fee: Public Law 119-21, section 100007, signed 4 July 2025, requires a fee of at least $250 "at the time of such issuance", with no waiver, adjusted for inflation from fiscal year 2026. A refund is possible if you follow your visa conditions. USCIS's notice of 22 July 2025 said it "requires cross-agency coordination" and "will be implemented in a future publication". The India fee page (updated 10 April 2026) and the State Department fee page list no such fee, and we found no implementation notice in the Federal Register as of 20 October 2026.

US student visa duration of status: the 4-year limit

Right now an F-1 student is admitted for "duration of status" (D/S): you stay as long as you follow your I-20. DHS wants to replace that with a fixed date.

• Proposed: 28 August 2025 (90 FR 42070); comments closed 29 September 2025.
• Final rule: 17 July 2026 (91 FR 44976), effective 15 September 2026.
• What it would do: admit you up to your programme length, "not to exceed a 4-year period". Longer courses would need an extension from USCIS. The grace period after your course or OPT would drop from 60 to 30 days. Graduate students could not switch programmes, and could not transfer without an SEVP exception. Language courses would be capped at 24 months.
• Postponed: on 14 September 2026 the US District Court in Massachusetts postponed the rule and barred DHS from "taking any further action to implement" it.
• Next: the government appealed on 30 September 2026 (docket). An order of 16 October 2026 sets summary judgment motions by 26 October and replies by 2 November 2026.

So on 20 October 2026, D/S and the 60-day grace period still apply. A two-year MS fits inside 4 years; a long PhD would need an extension if the rule returns.

US student visa OPT: what changed and what is proposed

The USCIS OPT page still allows up to 12 months of OPT and a 24-month STEM extension. You apply on Form I-765, up to 90 days before your degree ends and no later than 60 days after. Per Form G-1055 (edition 16 October 2026), the fee is $470 online or $520 on paper.

The ICE proposed rule of 8 October 2026 would make your school pay $70,000 for your first OPT and $30,000 for any later OPT. DHS says schools may pass it on to students. It is only proposed: comments close on 9 November 2026, and it would start 60 days after a final rule. For the H-1B side, see our H1B visa fee explainer.

How to apply for a US student visa from India, step by step

1. Get your I-20. Your SEVP-certified school issues it after admission. Sign it.
2. Pay the SEVIS fee. $350 on fmjfee.com; keep the receipt.
3. Fill the DS-160. Upload your photo and list your social media handles.
4. Pay the visa fee. $185 in rupees through the official appointment site.
5. Book two appointments. A biometrics slot at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) and the interview.
6. Attend biometrics, then the interview. Carry your passport (valid 6 months beyond your stay), I-20, DS-160 page, receipts and appointment letter. The officer may ask for marksheets, test scores, proof of funds and your plans after study.
7. Track your passport. If approved, you collect it from the location you chose.

New students can get the visa up to 365 days before the I-20 start date, but can enter the US no more than 30 days before it (State Department).

US student visa slot booking: the official rules

From the India scheduling page:

• Where: only online at usvisascheduling.com. The embassy does not take requests by email.
• Order: book the VAC appointment at least 2 business days before the interview.
• Rescheduling is limited. After the limit you can only attend or cancel; cancelling voids your fee.
• Cancel at least 2 business days before your interview to avoid being marked a no-show.
• Bots get blocked. An "Access limitation" message means the site detected automation plug-ins. Remove them and wait at least 24 hours.
• Plan early. The page asks applicants to apply at least three months before travel; processing is "typically seven to ten working days".
• Expedited requests need a confirmed appointment first (expedited page); the embassy calls those slots "very limited".

Live waits for each Indian post are on the State Department's wait times tool. No official source publishes a fixed opening date for student slots.

Gujarat students: where your US visa interview happens

The US Consulate General in Mumbai covers "Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Goa". Its VAC is in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai. Ahmedabad is a document drop-off and passport collection location under the Mumbai consulate, not an interview venue.

Where to go next

• Funding: study abroad scholarships for Indian students, 2027-28 and the PM Vidyalaxmi education loan scheme
• After your MS: H1B visa fee 2026 and what it means for students and the US proposal on H-1B extensions
• Other countries: UK student visa fees 2026, Australia student visa 2026 and study in Germany 2027