Indian college students flagged problem in acquiring U.S. pupil visa appointments: Govt to Parliament

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has obtained a number of representations from Indian college students and their households, flagging problem in acquiring U.S. pupil visa appointments after American authorities introduced an expanded screening and vetting for visa candidates, the federal government mentioned on Thursday (July 24, 2025).

In a written response to a question within the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh additionally mentioned the MEA took up the matter with the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi in addition to the U.S. Department of State.

The Ministry was requested whether or not the federal government is conscious of U.S. pupil visa points being confronted by potential Indian college students.

“On 18 June 2025, U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued a press release titled ‘Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants’. In the said press release, DOS stated that it uses all available information in its visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security,” the Minister mentioned.

Under the brand new pointers, the U.S. would conduct a complete and thorough vetting, together with on-line presence, of all pupil and change customer candidates within the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.

To facilitate this vetting, all candidates for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas could be instructed to regulate the privateness settings on their social media profiles to “public”, based on the rules.

“Following these developments, the Ministry of External Affairs has received several representations from Indian students and their families flagging difficulty in obtaining student visa appointments. The Ministry took up the matter with U.S. Embassy in New Delhi as well as the U.S. Department of State,” Mr. Singh mentioned.

While the issuance of visa is a sovereign prerogative of the state involved, the MEA has “consistently raised” with the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi in addition to the U.S. State Department in Washington DC the problems being confronted by potential Indian college students in acquiring U.S. visas, he added.

“The Government of India remains engaged with the U.S. Government to promote mutually advantageous and secure mobility frameworks that allow for streamlining avenues for legal mobility of students and professionals, and facilitating short-term tourist and business travel,” Mr. Singh mentioned.

In a written response to a separate question, the MoS mentioned the Indian authorities stays engaged with authorities within the United States on “addressing illegal immigration and human trafficking by taking strong action against the bad actors, criminal facilitators, and illegal immigration networks”.

In a separate question, the MEA was requested whether or not the federal government has taken cognisance of the illegal-immigration rackets working within the nation that fraudulently ship Indians overseas, inflicting lack of cash and nationwide fame.

The Ministry points advisories via the eMigrate portal, social media handles and different modes of publicity concerning the perils of pretend job rackets and methods to stop the identical. “Till June 2025, a total of 3,505 illegal agents in the country have been notified on the eMigrate portal,” Mr. Singh mentioned.

An consciousness marketing campaign on secure and authorized migration via the eMigrate portal has been carried out by the ministry throughout the nation by conducting workshops, coaching, data classes, digital campaigns for media teams, police officers and regulation enforcement businesses, native administration, aspiring recruiting brokers, entrepreneurs and most of the people, the Minister added.

“During these sessions, awareness emigration regulations, schemes beneficial for emigrants like Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY), Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT), eMigrate portal and various advisories issued by Indian embassies are brought to the notice of all stakeholders,” he mentioned.