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India raises foreign student visa issue with US

WION
New DelhiWritten By: Sidhant SibalUpdated: Jul 08, 2020, 12:09 AM IST
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Photograph:(Zee News Network)

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Assuring New Delhi, sources said, the US side took note and said they will keep the best interests of the students in mind and would try and mitigate the impact. 

India has raised the matter with Washington on the new guidelines issued by the country under which foreign students whose universities have moved online due to COVID-19 will have to leave the country.

The matter was raised during the India-US foreign office consultations between Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale on Tuesday. 

Assuring New Delhi, sources said, the US side took note and said they will keep the best interests of the students in mind and would try and mitigate the impact. 

The Indian government readout of the talks said,"discussed ways to further enhance mutually beneficial trade and people-to-people ties, including through visa facilitation for students and professionals." 

This action will majorly impact Indian students. More than 200,000 Indian students are currently pursuing various courses in the US, which form the second highest number of foreign students after Chinese students.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced modifications for non-immigrant students taking online classes due to the pandemic for the fall 2020 semester. 

The release from the US immigration and customs enforcement said,"Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status."

"If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings."

Detailed implementation guidelines are yet to come out.