Breaking! U.S. Suspends Student Visas！Is EB-5 the Last Option?

On May 27, Trump issued an order directing U.S. consulates worldwide to suspend visa processing for students and visiting scholars, while also implementing social media background checks for all international students planning to study in the U.S.

Shortly after, the U.S. State Department announced the revocation of visas for Chinese students, targeting those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or academic backgrounds in "critical fields." Additionally, the State Department is considering further revisions to visa screening standards, tightening scrutiny for applicants from mainland China and Hong Kong.

Currently, China is the second-largest source of international students in the U.S., after India. According to 2023-2024 academic year data, there are over 270,000 Chinese students in the U.S., accounting for about a quarter of all international students. This policy shift is expected to impact U.S.-China academic exchanges and educational cooperation significantly.

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Harvard Incident Sparks Outrage

Recently, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revoked Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, barring the school from enrolling new international students on F-1 and M-1 visas and affecting more than 7,000 current students.

Under the regulations, once SEVP certification is lost, international students must quickly transfer to another school, change their immigration status, or leave the U.S.—or else risk being considered unlawfully present.

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EB-5 Visa Emerges as a Potential Alternative

Amid increasingly strict student visa policies, the EB-5 investor visa may become a key alternative for studying and immigrating to the U.S. Currently, the EB-5 program requires applicants to invest at least $800,000 in a qualified U.S. project and demonstrate that the investment creates at least 10 jobs. Successful applicants can obtain a U.S. green card in as little as one year, with their spouses and children under 21 also eligible.

Green card holders can apply to schools as domestic students, avoiding student visa rejections and saving 40% to 50% on tuition. For those planning long-term education and immigration, this presents an attractive option.

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Conclusion

Trump is steadily tightening immigration policies—from the previously proposed "gold card" plan to the current suspension of student visas, the trend is clear. While the EB-5 visa remains operational for now, future restrictions remain uncertain. For families considering U.S. education or immigration, now may be a critical window of opportunity.

If you'd like to learn more about the EB-5 visa, feel free to contact Oceanus Strategic. We will continue monitoring the latest developments in U.S. immigration policy—stay tuned.