The US said on Monday that foreign students will not be allowed to remain in the country if their classes are going to be held only in the online mode in the upcoming fall semester. The students, however, can stay back if they shift to colleges that teach in-person.
The move will affect many Indian students in the US, apart from those who are granted admission for the upcoming fall session beginning in August/September, and also those who had returned to their home countries due to the pandemic. The number of students who will be impacted could not be ascertained immediately as many universities have not yet spelled out their plans with regard to mode of instruction — online, contact or hybrid.
“Non-immigrant F-1 and M-1 (visa holders) students at-tending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States. Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status,” US Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) said in a statement.
While the F-1 visa is granted after enrolment in higher education, high school and other levels of education, M-1 visas are granted for those pursuing vocational training.
The announcement came on a day when Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale held virtual Foreign Office Consultations where the two sides discussed ways to further enhance mutually beneficial trade and people-to-people ties, including through visa facilitation for students and professionals.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to working towards ensuring a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific. “They agreed on the need to deepen cooperation in the United Nations, especially during India’s membership of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2021-2022,” the MEA said.
The ICE went on to say that failing to adhere to the rules would make them liable to face consequences ‘including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings’.
While Indian estimates suggest that the number of Indian students in the US is around 4 lakh, US estimates place the number to be 2.2 lakh. The largest community of international students in the US is from China, followed by India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Canada.
According to the ICE, the State Department will not is-sue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programmes that are fully online for the fall semester nor will US Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the US.
While students are on tenterhooks after the announcement, experts say this could be a pressure tactic by the government to force universities to open amid a pandemic. “I returned only due to the pandemic and now I am unsure if I will be let into the US again,” Ashutosh Singh, a first year MS Computer Engineering student.
A few others have been left in the lurch due to the rule change. “I got admission from a prestigious university. But now, if the university does not have contact classes, I will be forced to stay back here. For me, apart from the academics, it was the experience of being in the US that may be lost,” a 19-year-old prospective Bengaluru-based student of an Ivy League University said.
Experts are divided on the view. “This is unfair on the students who have already paid for their education already and also on those who have worked hard for their offers from universities. Also, the universities will be looking closely at the money they might lose before coming to a decision as overseas students bring in a lot of funds through fees. The Indian government must take the issue up with the US administration,” Harinder Sekhon, an ex-pert on Indo-US relations said.
A ex-diplomat, who did not wish to be named said, “First, it was the non-immigrant work visa and now student visa. These are pressure tactics being employed by the Trump administration to force the universities to resume sessions. Also, this is Trump’s reelection year. He is playing to the tune of his electorate,” he said.
Universities like Harvard have already announced that all classes would be conducted online.