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US colleges and universities have seen a significant decline in the number of Indian students arriving. Due to the ongoing troubles with international students under the Trump administration, education advisors in Hyderabad have observed a 70 percent drop in students traveling abroad. This reduction arises from the current halt in visa appointment availability and a sudden increase in the number of visa applications being denied. "At this time of year, most students have typically completed their visa interviews and are preparing to depart. This year, we keep checking the website every day, hoping to find an available slot. It’s the worst situation we’ve faced in years," stated Sanjeev Rai from Hyderabad Overseas Consultant in an interview with the Times of India.
US officials had assured that visa slots would gradually become available, but there is a lot of uncertainty, making students anxious. Furthermore, students who do manage to secure slots often do not receive any confirmation, Ankit Jain from Window Overseas Education Consultancy remarked, suggesting that the lack of confirmation might be due to the US testing their system. As a result, many students are looking at other nations for their education. "I really couldn’t just wait around. I could end up losing a whole year. It feels like a dead end right now, so I’ve decided to pull my application," shared a 23-year-old who is now considering Germany for a master's degree in automotive engineering.
Arvind Manduva from I20Fever consultancy noted, "If slots don't become available in the coming days, many dreams will be crushed. We’re seeing about an 80 percent decrease. We receive urgent calls every day from students and their families". Another problem is that students who applied as early as March and got interview slots are now experiencing an unexpectedly high rate of visa rejections. “Many students who would typically have had easy approvals are being denied. Their social media profiles are also clean. The only explanation they keep getting is a 214B,” Jain added.
Section 214(b) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act is a frequent cause for visa refusals. This occurs when the person applying cannot show enough connections to their home country to indicate they will go back after their trip. Ravi Lothumalla from US Admission, an immigration consulting business located in Dallas, Texas, mentioned that this isn’t a new procedure. The guidelines, reviews, and checks have been in effect for many years and are now being enforced. The US Consulate General in Hyderabad announced that appointment slots have reopened and suggested students check the embassy or website for available times. "We are committed to thoroughly checking visa applicants to ensure they do not plan to harm America or our interests, and that they convincingly prove their eligibility for the visa they are applying for, including that they plan to partake in activities that align with their admission conditions. We advise applicants to apply as soon as possible and be prepared for longer processing times for these visa types," stated a spokesperson from the US Consulate General in Hyderabad.
Last year, India passed China by sending over 330,000 students to the United States. As per information from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as of January 1, 2024, more than 1.16 million Indian students were enrolled in higher education institutions overseas, and the number of students choosing Europe has been continuously increasing.
