Why Indian students in the US are cancelling their travel plans

Indians studying in the US are rethinking plans to travel back home during holiday breaks as they grapple with the uncertainty created by the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Some colleges have even warned students that tightening norms could delay their return, according to experts.The new US administration under President Donald Trump is likely to make visa and immigration laws more stringent, a move that could impact international students, including those from India.Riya Mehta, a master’s student at the University of Southern California, was set to make a trip to India for her sister’s wedding in Jaipur. She dropped the plan fearing a ban on re-entry to the US.Sameer Vyas, a PhD scholar at Purdue who was planning to visit his ailing grandmother in India, cancelled the trip fearing similar trouble.The two post-graduates are among the scores of Indian students who are giving up travel for relaxation and family reunion amid policy confusion.A study abroad expert said: “Colleges like Brown, Cornell, MIT, Columbia and Yale have cautioned students and staff to not travel outside the US.” Study abroad consultants are also advising international students to stay cautious.Several tech-savvy parents have taken to social media platforms to share this concern and are urging students in the US to refrain from social or political activism, including online, amid increased scrutiny. medium119653378“A few of the Ivy League colleges have advised students to reconsider international travel,” said Piyush Kumar, regional director, IDP Education. “Students are a bit concerned about the current situation due to a lot of noise that has been created around this.”While the US State Department has not imposed a ban on travel for students, colleges are nevertheless advising their international students not to leave the country, said another expert.In 2024, the US administration rejected 279,000 F-1 visa applications, or 41% of the total student applicants. F-1 visa is issued to international students for studying in the US. The fear is that this year more F-1 visa applications will be rejected.Rajiv Khanna, managing attorney at Immigration.com, said international students are facing a heightened risk landscape under the current enhanced vetting policies.“We are seeing an intensification of scrutiny at ports of entry… The recent executive order mandating ‘extreme vetting’ signed in January explicitly opens the door for more rigorous background checks and potentially longer processing times,” said Khanna.Adarsh Khandelwal, co-founder of Collegify, said, “Some universities are advising international students to reconsider non-essential travel. But this isn’t a sweeping ban; it’s a cautious approach. Colleges are trying to shield their students from the unpredictable visa uncertainties, policy changes, and procedural delays.”However, despite the uncertainties, the US remains the biggest attraction for Indian students wanting to pursue higher education, especially for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) courses, said the experts.Aditya Shanker Raghuwanshi, chief executive of Masterclass Space, said he is advising students to put off their India trip till the situation normalises.Past patterns show that such episodes of political or health emergencies tend to generate a lot of stress and postponement of academic plans among international students.“Some students are choosing to stay back voluntarily due to personal considerations or concerns about travel uncertainties,” said Manisha Zaveri, joint managing director of Career Mosaic. medium nocaptionhttp://youtu.be/AkcEFQA-WGA?si=TVb34z85zHjZGfma medium119644894Pause on processing green card applicationsMeanwhile, the Trump administration has paused the processing of certain green card applications, escalating concerns among Indian immigrants.According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the pause aligns with two executive orders signed by Trump. These orders aim to increase immigrant screening for potential fraud, public safety and national security risks.The freeze affects immigrants applying for permanent residency, including Indian nationals, who form one of the largest immigrant groups in the US. With more than 2.9mn Indian immigrants in the country as of 2023, many could face significant delays and legal uncertainties.How does this impact Indian immigrants?Longer wait times: Indian nationals already face some of the longest green card backlogs due to per-country caps. According to the Cato Institute, some employment-based applicants may wait decades for approval. This pause is expected to extend those delays further.Work authorisation risks: Many Indian immigrants are on H-1B visas while awaiting their green cards. Delays in processing could cause their work permits to expire, leading to potential job loss and deportation risks. medium nocaptionhttp://youtu.be/1e-vuFr6ISQ?si=yWX_U3HO8eavHrPOFamily separation: The freeze applies to adjustment of status applications, which many use to reunite with immediate family members. Indian immigrants sponsoring family members may face prolonged separation.High-skilled workers at risk: Indian tech professionals, who form a large share of H-1B visa holders, are particularly vulnerable. Industry groups warn that extended delays could push these workers to seek opportunities in countries like Canada, which offers faster permanent residency.Uncertainty for asylum seekers: Indian asylum seekers and refugees who have already passed extensive background checks could see their legal status remain uncertain, affecting their access to work, healthcare and other essential services.The Trump administration has not provided any timeline for when green card processing will resume, leaving thousands of applicants uncertain about their future.This move aligns with Trump’s larger push to tighten immigration policies, including plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Critics argue the pause unfairly targets legal immigrants and creates further bureaucratic hurdles.*Some names have been changed on requestWith inputs from agencies