LAST UPDATE | 28 May 2025

TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said that the mobility of young people “should be facilitated” after the United States suspended student visa processing. 

It comes after the Department of Foreign Affairs said that while it was “aware of reports” that the US has instructed its diplomatic missions to pause appointments for interviews in certain visa categories, including J1 student visas, it understands that existing appointments in Ireland haven’t been cancelled. 

A spokesperson told The Journal that it further understands that new J1 visa applications can still be submitted. 

They added that DFA officials have been in contact with the US embassy on this matter, in order to “assess possible impact on our citizens, in particular on students planning to travel in the coming months.” 

“We will continue to monitor this unfolding situation very closely,” the DFA spokesperson added. 

They further said that it is important to note that US immigration policy “is a matter for the US authorities”.

It’s been reported that US embassies around the world have been told that social media vetting for student and foreign exchange visa applicants will be ramped up.

Speaking to reporters today, the Taoiseach said he was “surprised” by the request. 

“J1 visas work both ways. It works very well for the United States in terms of a lot of workers in the hospitality sector,” he said. 

Roughly 5,000 Irish students avail of the J1 visa programme every summer. 

‘Overzealous examinations’

“I believe in the mobility of young people across the world, and we should facilitate the mobility of young people. We do it in Europe very well and very effectively,” Micheál Martin said.

The Fianna Fáil leader said there should not be “any overzealous examinations of people’s records”.

“Obviously, authorities do monitor for potential criminal activity and that’s generally done by the police services,” he said.

“But I wouldn’t be in favour of any overbearing inquisitorial approach to young people or their social media for that matter in terms of traveling from here to the United States, or indeed to any other part of the world.”

Speaking on RTÉ’ Radio One’s Morning Ireland this morning, Michael Doorley, the owner of the Sayit Travel agency, said that Irish students who have already received their J1 visas for the United States should not be impacted. 

He added that he has spoken to students currently in the US, who haven’t experienced any issues. 

Doorley said that “practically all” of the students intending to travel to the US this summer are already through, so this pause on interviews won’t have a big impact on students this year. 

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that guidance is to be issued on the screening process, and that interviews should be halted until a review on how this process will work has been completed. 

Doorley today said that his travel agency is issuing advice to students for the first time about their social media use while in the US. 

He said that if students have a “history on their mobile phones, of some, maybe, social activity that wouldn’t please the American situation, just delete it or whatever.” 

Doorley added that students are vital to the tourism sector in many places in America and highly valued by employers. 

Trinity College said that it will be in contact with any students travelling to study in the US in the coming autumn, and will offer meetings with them to discuss any concerns they may have.