US Visa: 21 Indian Students Deported In A Day; Authorities Ask Others To Leave Or Face Jail Time

by Shreya Rathod
US Visa: 21 Indian Students Deported In A Day; Authorities Ask Others To Leave Or Face Jail Time

For studying or working in the United States, you need a visa. However, several visa fraud cases that happened with students and working professionals caught public attention. Recently, 21 Indian students were deported from the US after questions were raised about their visas.

Indian Students Deported After Issues Raised Over Their Visa

us visa indian students
Credits: Canva

Concerns about visas were raised after 21 Indian students were deported from the US in one day. The students, who were from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, had already completed the visa requirements but were nonetheless subject to document checks and detention at the airports of Atlanta, Chicago, and San Francisco.

They expressed their confusion because they thought they had gotten their visas and were ready to start their education. As per a Deccan Herald report, the students claimed that they were not given sufficient explanations for their return, and they thought that it had to do with their visa paperwork. Some students claimed that their WhatsApp conversations and even phones were inspected.

Also Read: Attention, Indian Students! US Visa Application’s 1st Batch For Fall Session To Begin From Mid-May

Authorities Threatened To Take Legal Action

us visa indian students
Credits: Canva

Others claimed that they were politely requested to leave and threatened with harsh legal consequences if they objected. Some claimed that South Dakota and Missouri universities were among the common ones to which they were applying.

After the inspections, the distressed students stated that they had been kept in small confines without appropriate communication. Furthermore, the authorities warned them of jail time. According to a Hindu article, the pupils won’t be allowed to enter the US for the next five years.

Students who have experienced deportation are now dealing not just with the devastating effects of strict US restrictions but also with the loss of time, finances, and future opportunities. The five-year prohibition imposed on anybody found to be inadmissible upon deportation is particularly significant.

According to an earlier Mint report, due to COVID-19, the US has implemented stricter visa regulations for international students, potentially forcing Indian and Chinese students to return home or risk being deported. Approximately 202,000 Indian and 369,000 Chinese students, who make up a sizable fraction of international students, study in the US.

Also Read: US Visa Wait Time For Indians Is About 600 Days. Will It Change Anytime Soon?

These regulations deter students from continuing their online education in response to worries about the quality being reduced and the potential financial costs.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva