US rejects visa plea of Indian student with Columbia University scholarship, says no ‘strong ties’ to home country – Mint
An Indian student has recently faced disappointment after his application for a US visa was refused. The rejection letter stated that consular officials were not convinced he had sufficient ties to India that would compel him to return home after completing his studies in America.
The student, Kaushik Raj, aged 27, was due to pursue a graduate degree in journalism at Columbia University, having secured a substantial $100,000 scholarship.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Raj clarified that during his application process, he made it abundantly clear that he was born and raised in India and that his entire family resides there. Despite these facts, he suspects the refusal may have stemmed from the mandatory review of his social media profiles by US officials.
Raj, a former journalist, explained that while he was not overly active on social media and avoided posting anything of a controversial nature, he had spent four years working in journalism and had shared links to his published stories. Although Raj speculates about the role of his digital footprint, the official rejection letter did not cite social media profiles as the specific reason for the decision.
The rejection letter said: “You were not able to demonstrate that your intended activities in the United States would be consistent with the classification of the nonimmigrant visa for which you applied.”
An applicant has to demonstrate that they have a residence in a foreign country, which they have no intention of abandoning, it also said.
“Applicants usually meet this requirement by demonstrating that they have strong ties overseas that indicate they will return to a foreign country after a temporary visit to the United States. Such ties include professional, work, school, family, or social links to a foreign country. You have not demonstrated that you have the ties that will compel you to return to your home country after your travel to the United States.”
The letter also mentioned that the decision cannot be appealed, but if he wants to reapply, he will have to submit a new application and appear for an interview and be prepared to explain how his circumstances have changed since this application.
Furthermore, the letter stipulated that the decision was final and unappealable. While he remained free to reapply, any subsequent application would necessitate the submission of new documentation, a further interview, and a clear explanation of how his personal circumstances had altered.
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