At a weekly press briefing on 18 July, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it will engage diplomatically with the United States on “difficulties faced by Indian students, exchange visitors and journalists” stemming from the US Department of Homeland Security’s plan to impose fixed-period admissions on F, J and I visa holders. Under the draft US rule, most non-immigrant students would receive a four-year admission instead of admission ‘for duration of status’, forcing them to re-file if their course or research runs longer. Exchange visitors could be capped at 30 months. Indian officials said they would seek “mitigating flexibilities” to avoid pushing students into unlawful-presence penalties. The issue resonates in India’s corporate mobility community because many assignees move to the US on dependent visas tied to F-1 or J-1 holders. If the principal status is shortened, dependants and any practical-training work authorisations could be curtailed. The MEA urged students headed to US universities this autumn to watch for the Federal Register publication and to build in extra time for document updates. Universities were asked to keep Indian recruitment offices informed so that travel plans can be adjusted.
Source: The Times of India
