US issues warning to Indian and international students

New Delhi: The US Embassy in India has warned both Indian and international students studying in the country amid a mass deportation row that failure to "skip classes, drop out, or leave their program of study without informing" could result in their loss of future visa eligibility. The embassy has issued this warning through a social post on X, dated May 27, highlighting the importance of strictly adhering to visa regulations. The embassy reminded students that failure to comply may result in visa cancellation and will complicate their ability to obtain a US visa in the future.

"If you drop out, skip classes, or leave your programme of study without informing your school, your student visa may be revoked, and you may lose eligibility for future US visas. Always adhere to the terms of your visa and maintain your student status to avoid any issues," reads the official post. This warning came from the US government after a major deportation drive held this year.

Earlier this month, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a warning to international students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) visas in the US. They emphasised that if students fail to report their employment status within 90 days of beginning their OPT, their legal status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) will be cancelled. Amid ongoing deportation efforts, several colleges have also cautioned international students against travelling outside the U.S. to minimise the risk of their visa being cancelled. Moreover, the US Embassy in India had also issued a warning for Indian immigrants earlier this month and warned them of deportation. This warning was specifically for Indian immigrants on H-1B visas, student visas and tourism visas.

American universities attract a large number of Indian students. In 2023, the US consular team in India issued over 1,40,000 student visas — more than any other country — setting a record for the third year in a row. The same year, the US Mission in India processed a record 1.4 million visas.