Lately, several colleges and universities across the United States have been reporting unexpected revocations of international students’ visas.
According to Harvard, the student visas of five individuals currently attending or recently graduated from Harvard University have been revoked.
The Reason Behind This?
The reason for the revocation is unknown, and neither has the administration provided it. However, it is believed to have something to do with over-alleged violations of their visa or green card conditions, ranging from minor legal infractions to participating in demonstrations and activism.
According to The Harvard Crimson, the student-run newspaper, Harvard officials learned of the visa cancellations during a “routine rounds review” of their records.
“We are not aware of the details of the revocations or the reasons for them,” the Harvard International Office wrote in the email.
It added, “…but we understand that comparable numbers of students and scholars in institutions across the country have experienced similar status changes in roughly the same timeframe.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on March 27 that the State Department has revoked over 300 student visas nationwide.
According to media reports, Stanford confirmed that two recent graduates and four students lost their student visa status. The university learned about this during a routine check of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database, a web-based system that tracks nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors in the United States.
Stanford promptly notified the students of the revocations and provided them with access to external legal assistance.
How Do The Universities Find Out?
Many college officials and students learn about the changes to immigration status when checking federal databases. International students typically obtain F-1 visas after meeting specific requirements, including demonstrating financial support and maintaining good academic standing. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program under the Department of Homeland Security oversees their legal status.
