Introduction
The dream of studying abroad attracts millions of Indian students every year. This dream takes them to countries that offer better education, research opportunities, and a global perspective. The US, Australia, Canada, the UK, and other developed countries have long welcomed Indian students. But in recent years, these countries have seen tightening of education visa rules and a rise in visa rejections. In 2023, a record number of visa rejections have been reported for Indian students, especially in the US.
Why did the visa rejection rate rise in the US?
In 2023, only 32% of the 2,53,000 Indian students who applied for visas in the US got visas. This means that the visa applications of the remaining 68% of the students were rejected. This figure is alarming and is causing frustration among Indian students. There are many reasons behind this, the major ones being the strictness of visa rules and the global political scenario.
- Strictness in visa rules: In the last few years, the US has tightened its visa rules. This not only includes security reasons, but strict rules have also been made regarding work permits and post-study visas. One of the major reasons for visa rejection, especially for Indian students, is that US officials now want to ensure that students are not misusing the visa.
- Excessive applications: There has been a huge increase in the number of Indian students applying for visas to study abroad. Due to the large number of students applying for higher education in the US, it is not possible to grant visas to all the students. This has also increased the visa rejection rate.
- Job and work permit rules: One of the major attractions of studying abroad is the opportunity to get a work permit for jobs there. But, the US has tightened the rules for post-study work permit (OPT) and H1-B visas in recent years. The US administration believes that giving work permits to foreign students can lead to a lack of jobs for local American youth.
- Difficulty in interview: The interview is an important stage in the visa application process. Many times students are not able to present their intentions properly in the interview. Especially, when the officer asks them why they do not want to stay in the US after their studies, answering this proves to be challenging for many students.
Strictness in visa rules in other countries
Apart from the US, other developed countries such as Australia, Canada, and the UK have also tightened their visa rules. The main reason for this is the misuse of work permits and illegal immigration. These countries have also seen an increase in the rate of student visa rejection.
- Australia: Australia is a major education destination for Indian students, especially for business, engineering, and IT courses in universities there. But in recent years Australia has tightened visa rules. The Australian government has taken strict measures to prevent visa fraud and misuse of work permits.
- Canada: Canada, which has been a popular education destination for Indian students, has also tightened visa rules. Student visa applications are being scrutinised more closely due to the rising demand for work permits and permanent residency in some Canadian provinces. Visa approval now requires students to accurately state their financial situation, authenticity of education, and intentions to return after completion of studies.
- UK: The UK has made some positive changes in recent years in terms of granting post-study work permits to students, but the visa application process has also become stricter. The UK government has introduced several new rules to bring transparency and rigour in the scrutiny of student applications.
Increasing risk of work permit fraud
The strict visa rules are now also increasing the possibility of work permit fraud after studying abroad. Many students, who are unable to get visas or work permits, may try to work abroad through illegal means. Especially, students are being misled through agents and middlemen, which further complicates their situation.
Prospects and Challenges of Studying Abroad
- Globalization of Higher Education: Globalization of education is happening rapidly. Indian students are going to different countries of the world to get higher education. But due to strict visa rules, now students need to make better plans to study abroad.
- Financial Preparation: Students need strong financial preparation to study abroad. Now in the visa application, it is necessary to prove that the students are financially self-sufficient during their entire education period. For this, bank statements, financial certificates, and other documents have to be submitted.
- Educational Credentials: The accuracy and authenticity of the educational certificates of the students is also important in the visa application process. Students should ensure that their documents are correct and completely valid, so that there is no problem in the visa application.
