Sharp Decrease in Visas to Indian Students Alarms US Colleges
As many international education professionals in the US know, visa approvals out of India were down this fall. The decrease in visa approvals has had a serious impact on many schools across the country. Our team has been raising awareness with congressional offices, as well as with businesses and trade associations being impacted. There have been a few mentions in the media about this issue; however, schools and the media are just catching up to what we have known for some time. This article, authored by Karin Fischer of ICEF, includes insights from Shorelight’s internal data. We expect additional news outlets to cover this issue as well and will keep you in the loop once published.
About 59,000 student, or F-1, visas were awarded by American consulates in India during the critical months of May to August, compared with nearly 89,000 during the same period in 2023. Worldwide, student-visa issuances for this academic year fell by 12.5 percent, with the bulk of the decline driven by India.
More from Karin Fischer - Latitudes Weekly Newsletter
Read more on The Chronicle of Higher Education >
U.S. for Success Coalition Sets New Goals and Welcomes New Members to Achieve International Student Success
As many of you know, Shorelight is a founding member of the U.S. for Success Coalition (US4S). The coalition is a multi-sector effort founded a year ago, and is marking its one-year milestone by reflecting on successes to date, announcing new members, and committing to new goals for 2025. Key accomplishments include successful advocacy with the Department of State on the need to extend the visa interview waiver policy, and consistent and high-level communication with Congress and the State Department on the need to address lengthy delays in visa interviews and processing and the high denial rate affecting students from Africa. Additionally, the Coalition expanded its membership to a total of more than 40 entities across the international education sector, has added to its Executive Committee, and formed a new Advisory Council to help shape the Coalition’s data, research, and policy-based agenda.
Moving forward, the U.S. for Success Coalition will engage the next presidential administration and Congress to advocate for a whole-of-government approach that enables the US to offer valuable educational opportunities to top global talent, integrate their skills into the economy, and benefit from the vast economic contributions international students make every year.
“Over the last year US4S has grown and is continuing to attract new members from other leading international education groups. All the members understand that we must work together to improve processes for international students. As Shorelight works with students from around the world, we understand that the dream of a US education remains strong for international students, but challenges in our visa processes are making it harder for students to realize their dreams. As more countries offer competitive options, the US needs to stop operating on auto-pilot and course correct now. The time has come for a national strategy on international education.” - Tom Dretler, CEO and cofounder, Shorelight
Learn more on the U.S. for Success Coalition website >
Upcoming Changes to the Visa Appointment Scheduling Process and Visa Information Services
Israel - From November 1-11, 2024, the current visa appointment system will be offline for both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas, and customers will be unable to schedule new visa appointments or reschedule existing visa appointments during this time period. The Visa Units in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv will continue to operate normally during this period and will still be conducting visa interviews. Anyone with an existing appointment should attend their scheduled appointment.
*Other locations are making changes to their appointment systems; please check your country for any possible disruptions
Get the details on the U.S. Department of State website >
Visa Restriction Policy on Undermining Democracy in Ghana
The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Ghana and around the world. The Department of State is announcing a new visa restriction policy today that will restrict U.S. visas for any individual responsible for undermining democracy in Ghana. This policy will take effect in advance of Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled to take place December 7, 2024.
Read the full statement on the U.S. Department of State website >
