USA Issues 82,000 Student Visas For Indians September 08, 2022 16:32
The USA Mission in India issued a record number of 82.000 students visas for Indian students in 2022 till date. Indian students are on the top of the list in the number of student visas issued to any country. The US Embassy in New Delhi along with the other consulates (Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai) processed the student visas on a priority basis from May to August. The Embassy made sure that all the qualified students will reach the country as per their scheduled date. Patricia Lacina of USA hailed the US Mission and their achievement. "We are happy that so many students were able to recieve their visas on time and reach the universities without any delay. There was huge delay in the admissions in the past two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. We have issued 82,000 student visas in summer alone and this is quite higher than the visas issued last year. This shows that USA remains as the first priority for the most of the Indian families and students. The Indian students are in plans to build life long connections with the USA to grow in their life" told Patricia Lacina. Indian students comprise of nearly 20 percent of the international students in the United States of America.
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15 Percent of Indian Students Submit Fake Documents with Visa Applications September 05, 2022 13:11
In a sensational revelation, the German ambassador to India said that 15 percent of the Indian students applying for student visa are submitting fake documents. Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador for India said that 15 percent of the applications are involved in fraud and it is the duty of the authorities to scrutinize the documents. There are some agents who are misleading the students and we have to ensure to pick up only the deserved students, told Philipp Ackermann. The situation is completely heartbreaking and the efforts are underway for the education in Germany. The authorities of Germany are in touch with selected universities to ensure that the students coming from India will not lose out their studies. Philipp Ackermann said that this has turned out to be a huge concern as we want Indian students to get visas quickly and smoothly. The solution for the same will be found soon to make the procedure smooth and transparent. Philipp Ackermann also clarified that some of the Indian students who already applied for visa will not be able to get it on time for the upcoming semester for some of the universities. With the travel restrictions lifted up after pandemic, most of the countries are struggling to meet the demands as there is a mad rush for student visas. Some of the nations have been issuing student visas on a priority basis for international students.
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Indians Turn Global Trotters Despite Huge Airfares July 29, 2022 16:15
After the pandemic, the flight charges touched the skies. Despite of the threat of monkeypox and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Indians are flying to European countries. There are visa issues in most of the countries but the Indian travelers have been making it to several nations. The airlines continued to see packed flights and the major reason is Indians. The Indian carriers are witnessing higher passenger occupancies for their international flights when compared to the flyers before the coronavirus pandemic. India's biggest carrier Indigo is having more seats filling for all its Middle East flights than it was two years ago. The flights to Dubai and Saudi Arabia too are doing exceptionally as per the reports. Vistara Airlines is having 80 percent occupancy for most of its flights that are flying abroad. Qatar is all set to host FIFA World Cup in the next four months and the response from the Indians is just incredible. The country is expecting more than a million tourists for FIFA World Cup and Indians are expected to be the major contributors. Qatar witnessed a steady rise in the tourists from India and there was a double digit growth between 2019-2021. Singapore is also rushed with Indian travelers as it eased the norms. Indians are the most visiting Singapore too this year as per the reports. Singapore Airlines is operating 73 flights every week from eight cities of India and most of the flights are full. 91 flights would be operated from September 1st. Indians are also rushing to European countries like Spain and Denmark. Dubai, Thailand, Maldives and Singapore are the other nations which are preferred by the Indian travelers. By Siva Kumar
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USA to Process 8 Lakhs Visas in the Next One Year April 20, 2022 19:51
The Embassy of the United States of America in India is expected to process over 8 lakh visas in the next 12 months told a senior diplomat from the country. Donald L Heflin, Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs at the US Embassy told that 8 lakh visas are projected to be issued in the next one year and the slots for the processing of the visas are opened. He said that 1.2 million visas were issued before the outbreak of coronavirus. The sales would be back on the track in 2023 as per the update. The staff across India will be increased and the visa processing was done by 50 percent of the staff. More and more number of employees will be added and a new building is getting opened in Hyderabad. A dedicated helpline is set up to address the queries that are related to the visa applicants. All the consulates are having a dedicated phone number along with an email address through the visa applicants can contact the Embassy for assistance and other appointment-related queries. A higher number of visas are kept on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic and more announcements would be made in the coming weeks. By Siva Kumar
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Tunisian Man Charged With Indian Student's Murder March 23, 2022 14:33
A 22-year-old man from Tunisia has been arrested in relation with the death of Sabita Thanwani, an Indian-origin student. He appeared before the Highbury Corner Magistrate Court in London yesterday. The Tunisian man was identified as Maher Maaroufe and he was in a relationship with the Indian student. Her body was recovered from her accommodation in the Clerkenwell region of London last weekend. Maher Maaroufe was taken into custody on suspicion and Sabita was a psychology student aged 19 years. The autopsy was conducted in Whittington Hospital on Monday and it said that the death happened due to force trauma to the neck. A team of detectives are investigating the matter and Maher Maaroufe was charged and he had no fixed address. He was earlier charged with assault of an emergency worker as per the records of the cops. Sabita was a British national and she had serious injuries to her neck at the Arbour HHose student flats in the region of Clerkenwell. Her family paid tributes for her calling that incident a tragedy. Her family said that Sabita was caring and a loving person. She was on a mission to help everyone. She is pursuing psychology at the City University. A manhunt was staged to trace Maher Maaroufe and he was spotted in Thanwani on Friday. By Siva Kumar
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India to Resume International Flights From March 27th March 09, 2022 15:05
Two years after the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian government announced that it would resume the regular international flights from March 27th on a full-fledged note. "After being recognized the increase of vaccination coverage across the globe and in consultation with the stakeholders, the government of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to/from India from March 27, 2022, i.e start of the summer schedule 2022" told the official statement from the Indian government. The Civil Aviation Ministry said that the international operations shall be subjected to the adherence to the Ministry of Health for the international travelers. The Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) extended the ban on regular commercial international passenger flights on February 28th, 2020. The operating flights under air bubble are arranged since 2021. India is holding air bubbles with the countries of Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, US and Uzbekistan. Though the Aviation Ministry had plans to resume the regular international flights from December last year but was delayed due to the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. By Siva Kumar
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Indian Embassy advises students in Ukraine to return back February 15, 2022 17:33
All the Indian students and citizens residing in Ukraine are advised to return back to the country after there are tense situations due to the issues between Russia and Ukraine. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine's Kyiv said this as an advisory. This was issued hours after the USA government's spokesperson hinted of Russia invading Ukraine on February 16th. The Indian Embassy's statement told "In view of the uncertainties of the current situation in Ukraine, Indian nationals in Ukraine, particularly students whose stay is not essential may consider leaving temporarily,". The Embassy also asked the Indian nationals in the country to avoid the non-essential travel in the country. The Embassy wanted the nationals to keep the mission informed about their location so that they can be contacted if required in the coming days. The Indian Embassy is also collecting all the contact details of the Indian students who are living and studying in Ukraine. As per the update, there are 16,000 Indian students in the country apart from the professionals.Russian military is cornering Ukraine from the east in Donbas and from the Black sea coast from the south. Russia is also conducting a military drill with Belarus. By Siva Kumar
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Indian-Origin Man Gets Life Sentence in the United Kingdom October 19, 2021 13:22
A 28-year-old man who is from India stabbed his wife multiple times and left her body on the pavement. He has been sentenced life imprisonment by a UK Court on Monday after he pleaded guilty to the murder. The man is named Kashish Aggarwal and he attacked his wife Geetika Goyal in their Leicester home located in Windtersdale Road in the Central England on March 3rd this year. He stabbed her multiple times and kept her body in the boot of his car and drove to Uppingham Close. He left her mortal remains on the street and returned back home. The Leicestershire Crown Court announced the verdict yesterday. Kashish Aggarwal got life imprisonment of minimum 20 years and six months. He may be eligible for parole after completing the sentence. Jenni Heggs, the Senior Investigating Officer said that the hearing will bot bring Geetika but it is like a justice for her family. Geetika was 29 years old. The investigation told that Kashish Aggarwal was only interested to cover the crime. He initially told that he had no idea about his wife and he changed the versions frequently a number of times. Kashish Aggarwal called his wife and her friends saying that she never returned home from work. It was the victim's brother who filed a complaint about her missing. On March 4th, the cops received calls about a woman's body lying on the pavement in the Uppingham Close. There were stabs located on her shoulder, chest, neck and arms. The cops launched a murder investigation and Kashish Aggarwal was taken into the custody after the initial investigation. The CCTV footage showed Kashish Aggarwal driving Goyal's car to leave the body. He was taken into custody on March 6th. Geetika's family traveled to India to scatter her ashes. All her friends said that Geetika was kind, humble and hard-working. By Siva Kumar
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Record Number of Indian Students to Apply for USA this Fall August 24, 2021 13:23
The number of Indian students studying in the USA have been gradually increasing over the years. There has been a sudden decline in the numbers because of the restrictions imposed by Donald Trump and his government. The United States Mission announced the approval of more students in the year 2021 by the Embassy and the Consulate. With these new efforts, more than 55,000 foreign students are expected to fly to the USA soon. The US Mission planned for a packed spring semester and they are expecting a great student season. Ambassador Atul Keshap, Charge d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy said that it is a life changing experience for Indian students. Atul Keshap also reminded about the leading career opportunities and this also deepens the friendship bond between the USA and India. The coronavirus pandemic also turned a huge challenge for the US Mission and it forced them to postpone it. The Embassies and Consulates will interview the fall semester students soon. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates are now working for additional hours and visa appointments are opened. They are making all the efforts to ensure timely arrival for the academic programs for as many students as possible. The American Higher Education has 45000 nationally and regionally accredited universities and colleges. The students can get all the information about the US education, visa rules and policies through educationusaindia.usief.org.in. Special USA University Virtual Fairs are planned and they will be held on August 27th and September 3rd. The Indian students can get engaged with the representatives of the US universities and advisers. By Siva Kumar
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H-1B Visas: Joe Biden to reconsider Donald Trump's decisions March 13, 2021 16:13
The administration of the new USA President Joe Biden said that they are in plans to reconsider the objections or decisions for the foreign workers on H-1B visas of the three policy memos by the administration of Donald Trump. This will rescue thousands of Indian IT professionals who are having a tough time for the past few years. Donald Trump introduced various policies in the past for non-immigrant work visas and particularly for H-1B visas. On Friday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the decisions will be reconsidered. USCIS generally uses the discretion to reopen a motion that is filed more than 30 days after the decision is taken. USCIS issued Policy Memorandum 602-0114 on June 17th, 2020 and USCIS issued Policy Memorandum 602-0142.1 on February 3rd, 2021. A petitioner can request the reopening of any request based on three rescinded policy memos and this can be done by filling the Form 1-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, accompanied by the appropriate fee. USCIS also has the authority to accept and consider the motions under specific circumstances as explained. They generally process motions that are based on filing orders with the policy guidance. By Siva Kumar
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Can an H-1B employee work from India? February 12, 2021 19:40
On several occasions, the H-1B employees have the choices on their own about working from or outside USA. The employer may offer the employee to work from other country but there are laws that create several complications. Till 2019, a decision was made by the Department of Labor (DOL) for changing the calculus and the solution was that a H-1B employee can work from anywhere outside USA and can be paid any terms not only as per the laws of H-1B. In 2019, DOL said that the unless the H-1B is terminated by the employer, the obligations would continue. It is quite difficult to understand the H-1B laws are quite complex. The major requirement is that the H-1B employees cannot move out without any additional formalities. Everyone needs to ensure compliance of the US laws of posting the legal notices in an Indian office. This is considered as the debate among the most of the employers. The employers in USA are asked to come up with an additional compliance if needed if the job is relocated more than 50 miles from the location that is approved in advance of the employee. The laws make it clear that the normal commuting distance is 50 km and not beyond that and it makes it clear it is not possible to work from India. By Siva Kumar
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Indian Students contribute 7.6 Billion USD to the US in 2020 January 29, 2021 18:08
Indians comprise for 2% of America’s population. Each year, more than 2,00,000 students from India go the United states to study either for graduate, post graduate or do a PhD. India remains the second largest source of international student in the United States, even though there was a 4.4 percent decline this year due to the pandemic. According to a government record in association with the educational board, Indian students contributed to 7.6 billion USD to the United States Economy in the academic year 2019-2020. The country which is the first largest source of International students in the United States is China. China has been the first largest source of international students in the United States since 16 years continuously. There were over 3,72,000 Chinese students in the United states in the academic year 2019- 2020 despite the pandemic. Despite the 4.4 percent decline, India managed to have 1,93,124 students go to the United States to study this year, making it the second largest source. The report of this information was released by the United States’ Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education (IIE) in collaboration. For the fifth year in a row, USA hosted more than 1 million international students in only one academic year. Due to the pandemic, there had been a 1.8 percent decline in the number of international students in the United States. Even with the decline, this group represent 5.5 percent of all students in the United States higher education system. In 2019, The US Department of Commerce stated that international students contributed 44 billion USD to the USA economy and 7.69 billion USD was from India itself. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic USA is encouraging more international students to come study in the United States. The country predicts around 5 million international students in one academic year once the pandemic recedes. USA believes that international students bring culture, diversity, innovation, skill and friendly relations to the country. USA President Joe Biden has issued multiple benefits for international students who are studying in the states, making it easier for them to study, live and work. Among the top 20 places of origin, the largest percentage increase for international students were students from Bangladesh with a 7 percent, Brazil with a 4 percent and Nigeria with a 3 percent increase. The country with the most decrease in percentage was from Saudi Arabia with a staggering 17 percent decrease due to the change in the government’s scholarship program. By Meena Atmakuri
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