'What we want students to understand when they're applying for that visa is that we want to see a use of that visa that is in line with their application.'
Do not sound as if you intend to permanently settle overseas, warns Ritika Gupta, CEO and counsellor at AAera Consultants.
India on Thursday said it expects the United States to consider visa applications of Indian students on merit amid growing concerns over the Trump administration halting new student visa interviews.
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey was denied entry into Canada for a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Panama due to ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK, where he faces rape and sexual assault charges. Canada's Federal High Court upheld the visa refusal, despite Ghana's government calling the decision "extremely unfair" and questioning the reliance on unproven allegations.
VFS Global expects visa applications from India to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2024 with the easing of appointment availability. Vishal Jairath, head-South Asia, VFS Global, said during a media interaction that based on indications from the client governments in terms of appointment availability and the resources deployed by them, visa applications would surpass the pre-Covid levels by a healthy margin. "We have geared up. We have looked at our infrastructure and increased capacity in many locations," he added.
The US is reportedly considering a USD 100,000 fee for Optional Practical Training (OPT) visas, which allow international students to work in the US after graduation. This move by the Trump administration follows a rejected H1-B visa fee proposal and could significantly impact foreign graduates and tech companies. The Department of Homeland Security is also exploring a USD 100,000 bond for green card applicants.
Pakistan has decided not to send its team to the Asian Senior Fencing Championships in New Delhi, despite an invitation from local organisers. India is hosting the event for the first time, which will also include the General Assembly of the Fencing Confederation of Asia. Several other nations, including Hong Kong and Australia, are also facing visa-related challenges for their delegations.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reinstated officers' authority to deny immigration benefit requests if applicants submit incomplete applications or fail to provide necessary documentation. This new policy, effective immediately, reverses a previous rule that allowed a 12-week response period for requests for evidence, placing the burden squarely on applicants to prove eligibility at the time of filing.
A US federal judge has ruled that the USD 100,000 fee imposed by former President Donald Trump for H-1B visa applications was unlawful, as it lacked congressional approval. The ruling states the fee was a tax, exceeding the administration's authority and impacting skilled global talent.
Pakistan's national hockey team is facing significant challenges ahead of the final leg of the FIH Pro League in England, with captain Ammad Shakeel Butt's visa rejected and head coach Manzur-ul-Hasan also struggling to secure his travel documents. This comes amidst a dismal performance in the league and growing criticism over team management.
With the duration of stay capped at four years, the biggest impact of the new F-1 visa rules is likely to be on PhD scholars, students enrolled in longer professional programmes, those whose graduation gets delayed and students moving from one academic programme to another, highlight education experts.
The US Department of Labour's Office of the Inspector General has initiated an investigation into alleged fraud in H-1B and PERM work visa programmes. Indian IT firm Cognizant is among the companies under scrutiny for widespread schemes involving fraudulent applications, exploitation of foreign workers, and undercutting American labour. The probe aims to dismantle networks exploiting the guest worker visa system.
Iran's national soccer team attended visa appointments in Ankara, Turkey, applying for Canadian visas and some players also submitting applications for US entry ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has alerted the Hungarian Embassy in New Delhi about forged documents submitted by individuals posing as wrestlers, raising concerns about a potential human trafficking attempt.
A Gurugram CEO is alleging that his US visa application was unfairly rejected due to perceived 'weak ties to India,' sparking debate over US visa evaluation processes and criteria for Indian professionals.
The British High Commission has announced this service for Indians travelling to the United Kingdom.
The number of visa applicants to US has gone down significantly due to global recession, a senior American consular affairs official said.
Sanjay Dutt was denied a visa to fly to the Bahamas for a film shooting since he had failed to submit documents relating to his conviction in the 1993 serial blasts along with his application.
The United States Embassy in India on Monday said starting December 15, the United States has 'expanded' online presence reviews to all H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening, and this vetting is being conducted globally for 'all applicants of all nationalities' for these two visa categories.
Brown, a former governor of California and a good friend of the Indian community, termed it as shocking and unacceptable.
The US has postponed thousands of H-1B visa interviews in India, citing enhanced vetting measures including scrutiny of social media profiles. The delays are impacting applicants who were scheduled for interviews from December 15 onwards, with new dates being pushed back by several months.
The US Consulate officials on Tuesday announced that a new online visa application process would be launched from February 1, wherein non-immigrant visa applications will be submitted using an electronic form.
India has raised concerns with the United States regarding the cancellation of scheduled H1B visa interviews for Indian applicants due to enhanced vetting measures. Both countries are engaged in discussions to address the disruptions caused by the delays.
The Union home ministry has updated the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025, requiring foreigners staying in India beyond 180 days to register before their visa expires. The new rules also offer relief to children born to foreign parents and revise reporting requirements for medical institutions.
The ICC, which is overseeing the coordination process, has remained in constant communication with Indian High Commissions in multiple cities across continents.
Pakistan has not received a visa application from controversial businessman Mansoor Ijaz, the main accuser in the memo scandal, in Switzerland or any other country, foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit said on Thursday.
The US government on Friday issued a new policy memo tightening rules for foreign nationals on temporary visas seeking permanent residency, stating that persons wanting a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in "extraordinary circumstances".
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised India's concerns with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding changes to US visa and immigration policies, emphasising that legal mobility should not be negatively affected. Rubio acknowledged potential 'bumps' during the transition as the US aims to improve its immigration system.
Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal confirmed in a tweet that Jadhav's family had applied for visas.
A think tank, GTRI, has urged India to resist US pressure regarding its UPI policies, advocating for the defence of competition, policy autonomy, and the long-term sustainability of its payments ecosystem. This comes as the Lok Sabha passed a bill allowing charges on UPI transactions, a move GTRI suggests should not be influenced by foreign trade complaints.
India has suspended visa operations at its application center in Chittagong, Bangladesh, following heightened tensions and protests after the death of a student leader.
The application for visas to the United States is likely to increase by about 40-50 per cent in the coming five years, said Henry V Jardine, Consul General of the United States at the Bengal National Chamber Of Commerce and Industries in Kolkata.
India is yet to receive visa applications from Pakistan's special investigation team members who are supposed to visit the country to probe the Pathankot terror attack, Indian government sources said.
USA's pacer Ali Khan made a big disclosure on social media that he has been denied a visa by India to participate in next month's T20 World Cup.
Alert: Student visa applications to the US
The United States would handle the visa application of the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as per the country's immigration laws, a top US diplomat said.
The incident involved compromise of an employee's email account, resulting in unauthorised access to certain data.
Former Spain defender Joan Capdevila has appealed to President Donald Trump for help after being denied permission to enter the United States for Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and defending champions Argentina.
Australia increased its student visa application fee from 1,600 to 2,000 Australian dollars. This is now the highest such visa fee in the world.
Ten Indian nationals living illegally in the US have been indicted for conspiring to stage armed robberies at convenience stores to fraudulently obtain visas.
