The United States has resumed processing student visas after a month-long halt, with applicants now required to make their social media profiles public for review, a move that has left many Hong Kong hopefuls feeling uncertain and betrayed.
The country’s State Department said on Wednesday (US time) that it was once again processing visas for academic, vocational and exchange students.
Appointment slots at the US consulate in Hong Kong for such visas quickly became available following the announcement.
Washington’s back-and-forth stance on foreign students has left Hong Kong hopefuls stuck in limbo.
One such hopeful, Mandy*, said the recent shifts in the country’s policy were a “betrayal” of America’s long-standing image as a beacon of education and opportunity.
“For many, this delay … [meant] putting their dreams on pause or even changing course entirely,” the local secondary school student said.