Surbhi Gloria Singh

Obese or diabetic? Your US visa may now be rejected on health grounds

A new US State Department guidance directs visa officers to consider health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease while deciding applications, citing potential strain on US resources

Rs 1.5 crore visa scam busted: MBA graduate caught after months in hiding

Panchkula police have arrested a 35-year-old MBA graduate accused of duping nearly 100 people across Punjab and Haryana with fake promises of jobs and visas to Australia, Canada, and New Zealand

US to revise Green Card Lottery process: What changes in Diversity Visa?

The State Department says it will introduce procedural changes to the DV-2027 entry system but has not yet disclosed details. Applicants are urged to monitor dvprogram.state.gov for official updates

English-speaking countries lose lure as Indian students choose Asia, Europe

OECD's 2025 report shows Indian students diversifying study choices as Canada, the UK, Australia, and the US impose stricter visa and work policies, pushing demand towards Europe and Asia

New York, a city of immigrants: Zohran Mamdani's immigration stance decoded

New York City's first Muslim mayor vows to protect immigrants, defy federal ICE enforcement, and keep the city a sanctuary, setting up an early confrontation with the Trump administration

Australia caps foreign student intake: What it means for Indian applicants

Australia has announced a 270,000 limit on new international student commencements for 2025 and directed universities to ensure domestic students form the majority.

Canada opens fast-track for H-1B visa holders, announces $1.2 billion plan

Canada sets aside C$1.7 billion to bring in over 1,000 top researchers and launches a fast-track for H-1B visa holders while halving foreign student permits

US revokes 80,000 visas under Trump amid crackdown on crime and dissent

The Trump administration has cancelled tens of thousands of visas citing offences, political activity, and national security risks, as Canada moves towards similar visa cancellations

OPT under threat: US Senator pushes Trump to terminate student work rule

US Senator Jim Banks has written to senior Trump officials seeking to abolish the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, claiming it unfairly benefits foreign students, including Indians.

E-passports in India: Check benefits, rollout, and who can get them

India has introduced e-passports under Passport Seva Programme 2.0, adding biometric chips and RFID security for quicker immigration clearance and safer travel

US F-1 visa rejection: Choose self-respect over degree, says Indian student

An Indian engineering graduate admitted to a top American university was denied an F-1 visa under Section 214(b), exposing how subjective interviews can derail study plans

US resumes H-1B visa processing after shutdown halts applications

The US Department of Labor's FLAG portal and labour certification systems are back online, allowing H-1B employers and applicants to resume filings delayed by the shutdown

Canada plans visa cancellations for Indians: What applicants can do now

Canada is considering new legislation granting its immigration department power to cancel groups of temporary visas from specific countries, raising concern among Indian and Bangladeshi applicants

Canada's new immigration plan: 380,000 PRs each year, fewer temporary visas

Canada's new Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028 signals a policy shift from expansion to stabilisation, maintaining steady permanent resident targets while reducing temporary inflows

Canada may cancel visas for Indians, Bangladeshis, join forces with US

Internal documents reveal Canada is working with US partners to identify and cancel visitor visas flagged as fraudulent, citing "country-specific challenges" from India and Bangladesh under Bill C-12

Canada rejects 74% of Indian student visas amid tough fraud crackdown

Canada's strict cap on student permits and new verification checks have pushed Indian visa rejections to a record 74% in August 2025, the highest of any major source country

US HIRE Act a bigger threat to Indian workers than H-1B fee: Decoded

The proposed HIRE Act 2025 in the US would impose a 25% tax on payments to foreign workers for services used within America, threatening Indian IT exports and remote jobs already hit by H-1B visa fee

UAE launches 30-minute Return Document for Golden Visa holders abroad

UAE has introduced a free digital Return Document for Golden Visa holders who lose their passports abroad, allowing re-entry into the country within 30 minutes through its website or app

Indians, H-1Bs 'stole' American Dream from young Americans: Trump admin

The Labour Department's Project Firewall revives Trump's 'America First' rhetoric, alleging that US firms are replacing young Americans with foreign H-1B workers, mostly from India

How this Indian couple and 16 firms smuggled migrants into US illegally

Vikrant Bhardwaj and wife Indu Rani ran a transnational network that moved migrants from Asia, the Middle East, South America, and Europe into the United States through Mexico, using yachts, flights