NEW DELHI: The US Embassy in India on Wednesday (January 7, 2026) said breaking American laws can have "serious consequences" for a student visa, as it termed a sojourn in the country a privilege, not a right.
The embassy in a post on X cautioned that one could become ineligible for future U.S. visas if they are "arrested or violate any laws”. "Breaking US laws can have serious consequences for your student visa. If you are arrested or violate any laws, your visa may be revoked, you may be deported, and you could be ineligible for future US visas. Follow the rules and don't jeopardise your travel," the embassy posted on X.
"A US visa is a privilege, not a right," it said in an assertion it has made through many posts on X in the past several months.
On June 19, 2025, it wrote, "A US visa is a privilege, not a right. US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued – and we may revoke your visa if you break the law." On June 23, the US Embassy asked those applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa to switch the privacy settings of their social media accounts to "public" for vetting, which it said was necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the US.