Indian government ‘in touch’ with students facing visa revocation in the US
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday publicly stated that the Indian government is aware of the F-1 visa issues of Indian students in the US and is looking into the matter.
The statement comes amid the ongoing tension over a spate of visa revocations of students as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown which has been affecting several international students.
When asked about the cases of Indian nationals being mistreated in the US by stopping Indian tourists, denied re-entry of green card holders and revocation of visas, the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “We are aware that several Indian students have received communication from the US government regarding their F-1 visa status.”
He further added, “We are looking into the matter. Our Embassy and consulate are in touch with the students.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, informed that, since January, a total of 55 Indian nationals have been deported by the US. The deportees returned to India via Panama.
As per reports, more than 1,000 international students have had their legal status or visas revoked by the US administration in recent weeks. Several students have also filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, arguing the government denied them due, arguing the government denied them due process when it suddenly took away their permission to be in the U.S.
Earlier, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the state department, under his direction, revoked more than 300 visas, and most of those were student visas.
According to the Open Doors Report, during 2023-2024 the US hosted 11,26,690 international students. By November 2024, Indian students surpassed Chinese students in number, marking a historic shift. However, in recent months, the visa approval rates have dropped.
Moreover, the support from the Indian government in this matter of visa revocation might bring hope for the Indian students who are facing the issue.
(With Input from sources)