US Visa Delays For Student : Indian Govt Flags US Student Visa Delays As Social Media Vetting Sparks Concerns
New Delhi : The Indian government has taken up the student visa delays issue with US authorities after Indian students and their parents flagged difficulty in obtaining US student visa appointments following the announcement of expanded screening and vetting measures by American authorities. Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said that although visa issuance remains the sovereign authority of the issuing country, the MEA has continually elevated concerns regarding the issues being faced by prospective Indian students in obtaining US visas.
Singh on Thursday said the MEA took up the matter with the US Embassy as well as the US Department of State, news agency reported. The Ministry was asked whether the government is aware of US student visa issues being faced by prospective Indian students, according to the report. A bipartisan group of 14 US lawmakers, including three Indian-American Democrats, has also urged the State Department to address delays in student visa appointments affecting Indian students.
The lawmakers, led by Congresswoman Deborah Ross, in the letter, emphasised that Indian students contribute approximately $9 billion annually to the US economy and play a vital role in advancing research and innovation. The Trump administration in May ordered all of its consulates worldwide to stop new student visa interviews and applications for exchange visitor visas. Following a two-month pause, the US State Department resumed processing of student visa applications last month.
The US would conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J non-immigrant classifications. The US authorities urged all student visa applicants to make their social media accounts public for background checks.Social media vetting involves scrutinising an applicant’s online activity to assess their eligibility for entry. American officials will review the social media profiles of prospective students to determine whether they should be allowed to study at U.S. institutions.
The Ministry of External Affairs has received several representations from Indian students and their families flagging difficulty in obtaining student visa appointments. The Ministry took up the matter with the US Embassy in New Delhi as well as the US Department of State, Singh said. While the issuance of visa is a sovereign prerogative of the state concerned, the MEA has “consistently raised” with the US Embassy in New Delhi as well as the US State Department in Washington DC the issues being faced by prospective Indian students in obtaining US visas, he added.
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