US To 'Try and Mitigate Impact' Of New Student Visa Rule After India Raises Concern With Washington

The Trump administration on Tuesday announced those international students holding F-1 and M-1 (non-academic and vocational students) visas and planning to complete their existing courses via the online mode or have already switched to online classes amid the corona-virus pandemic will not be allowed to stay back in the United States.

Indian Students Studying Abroad (Pic : PTI)

A day after the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency announced that it will cancel visas for foreign students whose classes have been moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic,forcing non US students to get back to their respective nations; the US has told India that it will keep the best interests of the students in mind and try and mitigate the impact of the new student rule regarding the F-1 visa. The issue regarding the cancellation of foreign student visas which could an adverse bearing on Indian students was raised during the virtual foreign office consultations between Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale. The Trump administration on Tuesday announced those international students holding F-1 and M-1 (non-academic and vocational students) visas and planning to complete their existing courses via the online mode or have already switched to online classes amid the corona-virus pandemic will not be allowed to stay back in the United States. “The issue of F-1 visa students was raised during India-US Foreign Office Consultations,” a source said. The sources said that the US side took note of it and said they will keep the best interests of the students in mind and try and mitigate the impact. Detailed implementation guidelines are yet to come out, they added. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency within the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday announced that the international students pursuing courses in the United States must leave the the United States if their institutes have switched to complete the online course due to the coronavirus pandemic During the foreign office consultations, Shringla and Hale reviewed the entire gamut of engagements under the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including political, economic, commercial, regional and international cooperation. Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian foreign secretary and his American counterpart agreed to further strengthen ties between the two nations on health, including on pharmaceuticals and vaccine development.