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Government says student visa appointments to US now open
A total 1,703 Indians have been deported by the US government under President Donald Trump to India from January 20 to July 22 this year, including 1,562 men and 141 women with highest deportees hailing from Punjab (620), Haryana (604) followed by Gujarat (245).
The government has also said that students visa appointments for US are now open.
The statistics were revealed by Ministry of State (MOS) in External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Lok Sabha on Friday.
It also mentioned about a break-up of deportees by modes of deportation, including 333 deportees who arrived in US Customs and Border Protection (Military) Flights on Feb 5, Feb 15 and Feb 16; 231 Indians who arrived in India via Charter flights operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 19, June 8 and June 25 this year; 300 Indians who arrived via (ICE)’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Deportation through Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Charter Flights on Jul 5, and Jul 18 this year; 72 Indians also arrived Commercial Flights from Panama (in which deportees arrived in India individually or in small groups, as and when their flight tickets were arranged; 767 Indians arrived via Commercial Flights from USA (in this case also deportees arrived in India individually or in small groups, as and when their flight tickets were arranged).
The highest deportees hail from Punjab (620) followed by Haryana (604), Gujarat (245), Uttar Pradesh (38), Goa (26), Maharashtra (20), Delhi (20), Telangana (19), Tamil Nadu (17), Andhra Pradesh (12), Uttarakhand (12), Himachal Pradesh (10), Jammu & Kashmir (10), Kerala (8), Chandigarh (8), Madhya Pradesh (7), Rajasthan (7), West Bengal (6), Karnataka (5), Odisha (1), Bihar (1), Jharkhand (1) and 6 cases are said to be unknown.
The government said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) remains engaged with the US side to ensure the humane treatment of deportees during deportation operations. The MEA strongly registered its concerns with the US authorities on the treatment of deportees, particularly with respect to use of shackles, especially on women and children.
Concerns with regards to religious/cultural sensitivities, including the use of turbans and dietary preferences have also been formally taken up with the US side, it said, adding that it has not received any complaint pertaining to treatment of deportees on any flight after February 5, 2025.
On the question of mechanism to monitor the status of Indian students and migrants in the USA facing deportation, including denial of visa or social media-based vetting procedures, the government said the MEA received several representations from Indian students and their families flagging difficulties in obtaining student visa appointments.
It said the MEA took up the matter with US Embassy in New Delhi as well as the US Department of State.
“In response, the US side has shared the following: Additional security requirements for student visas have further reduced the capacity of the US Embassy and Consulates in India to process visas. However, student visa appointments are now open. For J-1 physician category, the US side has launched a software-based solution to prioritize their appointments. Several students who had previously reported unavailability of appointment slots under this category of visa and have now been able to get appointments,” it mentioned.
It also said the US Embassy is working to open a limited number of additional student visa appointments through the end of August in recognition of the urgent need for these appointments before the start of the new academic year.
The US Embassy is developing a student visa fact sheet with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that should help reduce uncertainty around this issue, it added.
“While the issuance of visa is a sovereign prerogative of the concerned country, the Ministry of External Affairs 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,” it mentioned.
www.tribuneindia.com
A total 1,703 Indians have been deported by the US government under President Donald Trump to India from January 20 to July 22 this year, including 1,562 men and 141 women with highest deportees hailing from Punjab (620), Haryana (604) followed by Gujarat (245).
The government has also said that students visa appointments for US are now open.
The statistics were revealed by Ministry of State (MOS) in External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Lok Sabha on Friday.
It also mentioned about a break-up of deportees by modes of deportation, including 333 deportees who arrived in US Customs and Border Protection (Military) Flights on Feb 5, Feb 15 and Feb 16; 231 Indians who arrived in India via Charter flights operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 19, June 8 and June 25 this year; 300 Indians who arrived via (ICE)’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Deportation through Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Charter Flights on Jul 5, and Jul 18 this year; 72 Indians also arrived Commercial Flights from Panama (in which deportees arrived in India individually or in small groups, as and when their flight tickets were arranged; 767 Indians arrived via Commercial Flights from USA (in this case also deportees arrived in India individually or in small groups, as and when their flight tickets were arranged).
The highest deportees hail from Punjab (620) followed by Haryana (604), Gujarat (245), Uttar Pradesh (38), Goa (26), Maharashtra (20), Delhi (20), Telangana (19), Tamil Nadu (17), Andhra Pradesh (12), Uttarakhand (12), Himachal Pradesh (10), Jammu & Kashmir (10), Kerala (8), Chandigarh (8), Madhya Pradesh (7), Rajasthan (7), West Bengal (6), Karnataka (5), Odisha (1), Bihar (1), Jharkhand (1) and 6 cases are said to be unknown.
The government said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) remains engaged with the US side to ensure the humane treatment of deportees during deportation operations. The MEA strongly registered its concerns with the US authorities on the treatment of deportees, particularly with respect to use of shackles, especially on women and children.
Concerns with regards to religious/cultural sensitivities, including the use of turbans and dietary preferences have also been formally taken up with the US side, it said, adding that it has not received any complaint pertaining to treatment of deportees on any flight after February 5, 2025.
On the question of mechanism to monitor the status of Indian students and migrants in the USA facing deportation, including denial of visa or social media-based vetting procedures, the government said the MEA received several representations from Indian students and their families flagging difficulties in obtaining student visa appointments.
It said the MEA took up the matter with US Embassy in New Delhi as well as the US Department of State.
“In response, the US side has shared the following: Additional security requirements for student visas have further reduced the capacity of the US Embassy and Consulates in India to process visas. However, student visa appointments are now open. For J-1 physician category, the US side has launched a software-based solution to prioritize their appointments. Several students who had previously reported unavailability of appointment slots under this category of visa and have now been able to get appointments,” it mentioned.
It also said the US Embassy is working to open a limited number of additional student visa appointments through the end of August in recognition of the urgent need for these appointments before the start of the new academic year.
The US Embassy is developing a student visa fact sheet with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that should help reduce uncertainty around this issue, it added.
“While the issuance of visa is a sovereign prerogative of the concerned country, the Ministry of External Affairs 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,” it mentioned.
1,703 Indians deported from US with 6 unknowns on list, highest from Punjab - The Tribune
Government says student visa appointments to US now open.
.. The gov is finally imposing the rules as its meant to be, long overdue
