30 senators flag delays in US visa appointments for Indian students

The senators said delays could prevent students and exchange visitors from reaching the US in time for the beginning of the academic year With the US fall academic season weeks away, a shortage of timely student-visa appointments has emerged as a growing concern for international students, including Indians, with 30 US senators now pressing the state department to explain delays in processing F, M and J visas. These are visas for academic studies, vocational courses and exchange programmes, respectively.In a letter dated Aug 11, senator Alex Padilla and 29 other senators told US secretary of state Marco Rubio that they were hearing from students and other stakeholders that “no timely visa appointments are available” at several US embassies and consulates.The senators said delays could prevent students and exchange visitors from reaching the US in time for the beginning of the academic year. They have asked the state department to explain how interview appointments are being allocated, where student and exchange visas rank among the department’s priorities, and whether F, M and J applicants have been deprioritised.“We urge the state department to extend interview waivers for vetted ...