The US Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) has indicated that it is ready to consider reinstating the immigration status of those Indian students, who have lost their student visas due to the closure of a California-based “sham” university.
“We received a message from ICE today, in which they indicated that they would consider the possibility of reinstatement of their (students) visa status through I-539,” Susmita Gongulee Thomas, Consul General, Indian Consulate San Francisco
I-539 is the form used by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for visa extension and change of immigration status.
When one is out of the visa status for one reason or the other under a particular law of the US and the individual is not in criminal violation, USCIS may agree to give the reinstatement of his or her status under this form.
Duped by the authorities of the Tri-Valley University , which has now been shut down, hundreds of Indian students, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, faced the threat of being deported back home after having lost their student visa status.
“It seems quite positive that they are willing to consider at least the possibility of reinstating of some of the students,” Thomas said.
“I think it will be case by case basis, because earlier we had clarified that there is nothing like the general amnesty. It would be case by case, because they feel that there might be some students who are in criminal violation of the immigration,” she added.
Watch this space for more updates on Tri Valley University Fraud