US CITES IMMIGRATION ASSESSMENT, INDIA WANTS US TO HONOR VISAS
WASHINGTON (TIP): The US has conveyed that the decision to deny entry to Indian students was not because of black-listing of two California-based institutions but based on the immigration assessment of individuals even as India asserted that American authorities need to honor visas issued by them.
The Indian reaction came after more Indians traveling on business/tourism/work visas have been deported recently.
In a fresh advisory today, External Affairs Ministry here said according to the US Government, the deported persons had presented information to the border patrol agent which was inconsistent with their visa status.
In continuation of December 23 advisory in connection with denial of entry by the US to Indian students having valid student visas to pursue studies in educational institutions -Silicon Valley University at San Jose and Northwestern Polytechnic University, Fremont, the ministry noted that there have been more cases of deportation of Indians.
Subsequently, there have been further cases of denial of entry to Indian students holding valid visas to pursue studies in other US educational institutions, it said, adding some Indian nationals traveling on business/tourism/work visas have also been deported.
“The US Government has conveyed that the decision to deny entry to these students is not because of the corresponding institutions being ‘black-listed’ but based on the assessment made by the US immigration authorities of individual applicants. “According to the US Government, the deported persons had presented information to the border patrol agent which was inconsistent with their visa status,” the ministry said while noting that India continues to remain closely engaged with the US Government on this subject. “We have strongly emphasized the need for the US authorities to honor the visas issued by their own Embassy/Consulates,” it added.