New Zealand Denies Visas to Thousands of Indian Students
New Zeland has denied visas to thousands of Indian students after immigration authorities determined that most of the applicants from the country were not “really coming for studies”, a media report said today. According to figures provided under the Official Information Act, 51 institutions, including half of the country’s polytechnics, have visa decline rates for […]
54 Indians deported back from US to India in April
Fifty-four Indians were deported back from the US in April and another set of Indians from the country will be sent back to India this month, a top US official said. “India has improved its timeliness in issuing travel documents to its citizens under final orders of removal,” Michele Thoren Bond, assistant secretary of state for consular […]
On return to India, inform bank of changed residential status
I am 60 plus, and am returning to India after staying in the Gulf for 20 years. I have non-resident external (NRE) and foreign currency non-residential (FCNR) deposits, which mature at different times up to 2020. Considering that my status after return is resident not ordinarily resident (RONR) during the first 2 years (minimum), please […]
Immigration NZ battling widespread fraud over fake student visa applications
In the last year 20,000 student visas were applied for, and just over half were declined. The majority of those applications were from unlicenced agents and advisers, which use false educational qualifications and financial statements to apply for student visas. And there are warnings the problem could be more widespread. Professor Paul Spoonley from Massey […]
Visiting US? Immigration to become fast, hassle-free
New Delhi: Pre-approved, low-risk Indian travellers to the US may soon have an expeditious, hassle-free immigration through automatic kiosks at select American airports, with India set to join the US Global Entry Program ahead of the Indo-US Homeland Security dialogue in July. The Indo-US homeland security dialogue in Washington, to be led by Union home […]
Soon, automated e-gates at IGI airport
NEW DELHI: Pre-approved Indian frequent fliers, including captains of business and celebrities, may soon be assured a hassle-free, expeditious immigration upon return from foreign trips, with the government set to install automated e-gates at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here. The e-gates facility, which is expected to come up shortly at IGI airport and will eventually be […]
India-US to sign 2 key pacts during Homeland Security Dialogue
NEW DELHI: India and the US are likely to sign two key agreements in July that would exempt prominent Indian citizens from immigration checks in America and pave the way for exchange of information on terrorists on a real time basis. The two pacts on Global Entry–a US Customs and Border Protection programme that permits speedy […]
India hopeful of becoming part of US global entry program
Indian VVIPs – top politicians, officials, celebrities and businessman etc. – can hope to get a hassle free entry in the USA soon. In the upcoming Homeland security meet in July, India is expecting US to make India a part of its global entry program that ensures easy entry without going through harassment at the […]
US Responds To India’s Discriminatory Visa Fee Charge
WASHINGTON: The US has told India it is bound by legislation on the recent visa fee hike – which has badly hit Indian IT companies, an issue that was strongly raised by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his bilateral meeting. “There are always two issues, one of course is the recent one, visa fee hike and the other […]
Canada apologizes for 1914 rejection of Asian migrant ship
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized in Parliament on Wednesday for a government decision in 1914 to turn away a ship carrying hundreds of South Asian immigrants. The Komagata Maru from Hong Kong arrived off Vancouver only to have almost all of its 376 passengers, nearly all of them Sikhs from India, […]
India-visa rejection rate tops 50pc
More Indian student visas have been declined than approved in the past 10 months, as Immigration New Zealand battles widespread fraud. In figures revealed to the Herald, 10,863 of the 20,887 applications the agency received from applicants in India were declined. Among the declined applications, 9190 had been lodged by unlicensed education advisers, student agents and […]
India-Born Activist’s Mission to Change the Immigration Debate in the U.S.
The rancorous debates around race and immigration have made this year’s presidential race a fraught one for many U.S. immigrants. Sayu Bhojwani’s mission is to change the conversation by getting some of them into politics. Ms. Bhojwani, 48 years old, is the founder and president of the New York-based New American Leaders Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization […]
Why Donald Trump is spooking Indian outsourcers with his flip-flops on immigration
More than his 20-minute visa interview, Kaladhar Reddy remembers a 90-minute visit to ‘The Visa Temple’, officially called the Chilkur Balaji Temple on the banks of the Osman Sagar in Hyderabad. On a Thursday evening in June 2015, Reddy, a 20-something systems analyst, was part of a throng of thousands jostling through the temple, seeking […]
India Consistently Raising Visa Issue With UK: Nirmala Sitharaman
NEW DELHI: India has been consistently raising its concerns with the UK about the new British immigration law, which will impact domestic professionals earning below 35,000 pounds annually, Parliament was informed today. In 2012, the UK had made certain changes to the immigration rules, which would affect the settlement of non-European economic area workers with tier […]
Why Donald Trump is spooking Indian outsourcers with his flip-flops on immigration
More than his 20-minute visa interview, Kaladhar Reddy remembers a 90-minute visit to ‘The Visa Temple’, officially called the Chilkur Balaji Temple on the banks of the Osman Sagar in Hyderabad. On a Thursday evening in June 2015, Reddy, a 20-something systems analyst, was part of a throng of thousands jostling through the temple, seeking […]
Indian-Americans join anti-deportation rally in US
WASHINGTON: A large number of Indian -Americans and people from the South Asian community joined a massive rally in front of the US Supreme Court in support of Obama Administration’s plans to deferdeportation of four million illegal immigrantswhose children are US citizens. The Supreme Court, which is hearing the case, is now split on the Obama Administration’s plans to […]
Malaysia introduces e-visa for Indian tourists
MUMBAI: In a bid to tap a larger share of the Indian outbound travel, Malaysian Government has introduced the Electronic Travel Authorization Visa (e-visa) for a short visit to Malaysia. Currently, the e-visa facility is available to Indians residing in India only and is valid for a single journey stay of maximum 30 days in […]
India may make citizenship process for Pakistani Hindus easier
NEW DELHI: The government on Sunday announced that it proposes to simplify procedures for grant of Indian citizenship to minority Hindus from Pakistan. The proposal also envisages allowing “minority communities of Pakistan staying in India on a Long Term Visa” to buy property, open bank accounts and obtain permanent account number (PAN) and Aadhaar number, […]
UK parliament panel opens inquiry into treatment of Indian students
LONDON: A British parliamentary panel has launched a formal inquiry into the treatment of international students, majority of them Indian, who were accused of cheating on English language tests and forced to leave the UK. The House of Commons’ home affairs select committee, chaired by Indian-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz, launched the inquiry into the […]
US to take action against Indian students extending their stay
WASHINGTON: The US will take action against 306 Indian students caught in a sting operation for allegedly trying to extend their stay in the country illegally, a top US State Department official said on Tuesday. “For the most part, they all came on legitimate student visas. It was actually when they were in country that […]
