India, Aug. 26 -- For Indian students and professionals, the traditional US immigration pathway, F-1 student visa, practical training, H-1B employment and eventually a green card, is becoming harder to navigate as the Trump administration changes rules at several points in that journey.

The latest disruption came on August 26, when the US State Department paused or rescheduled visa interviews worldwide as consular officers undergo new training. The move comes alongside a series of other changes affecting international students, skilled foreign workers and employment-based immigrants.

For Indians, the significance goes beyond any single rule. The student-to-worker-to-green-card pipeline is facing pressure at almost every stage, with new ...