Indian Students in U.S. Confront Visa Scrutiny and Shrinking Part‑Time Work

Indian students in the United States 🇺🇸 are confronting a sharp rise in visa enforcement paired with shrinking work options, a combination that has pushed many into financial and academic distress in 2025. Officials and campus groups say thousands of student visas have been revoked in recent months—more than 4,700 by one recent count—with the total so far in 2025 surpassing 6,000. Many cases involve alleged irregular attendance or unauthorized employment. Others stem from law violations, including minor infractions, and growing reviews of social media activity.

At the same time, stepped-up workplace inspections have prompted many students to quit part-time jobs they once relied on for rent and groceries, deepening the squeeze of job scarcity.

How revocations are happening and who’s affected

Universities and advocates say the pace and manner of enforcement has changed. Students often learn of revocations by abrupt email or text, sometimes after a brief detention, while schools are not always informed in advance.

Higher education groups report that students at nearly 250 colleges have seen their visas canceled, with limited details recorded in SEVIS. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, denial rates have risen alongside revocations, and F‑1 issuances to Indian nationals fell 34% in 2024 compared with 2023. Indian applicants from several states report steep rejection rates, including for top-ranked U.S. programs.

The financial fallout is immediate. With more inspections and tighter rules around on-campus and off-campus work, many Indian students have lost income needed for food and housing. Some are turning to emergency aid. Others are withdrawing mid-term or leaving the country. The U.S. Embassy has repeatedly warned that any law violation—even small ones—can lead to swift visa cancellation, removal, and a long ban on re-entry.

Policy moves and the numbers

Officials describe the stepped-up approach as a national security and compliance effort. The State Department has linked revocations to criminal activity, terrorism concerns, and status violations. The student visa denial rate reached 41% in 2024, a record high, and U.S. consular officers continue to apply tight screening in 2025.

Universities and associations, including the American Council on Education, are urging clearer rules and reliable notice to schools when a student’s visa is canceled. Secretary Marco Rubio has publicly confirmed the broader scale of revocations.

A series of policy changes is adding pressure:

• Interview waiver cuts
  • Effective September 2, 2025, most F and M student visa applicants must attend in-person interviews.
  • This includes many who previously qualified for waivers (such as very young or elderly applicants).
  • Passports must be collected in person or via paid courier, with tighter limits on third-party pickup.
• EB‑2 pause
  • The government has temporarily halted EB‑2 green card issuances until September 30, 2025, after hitting annual caps.
  • This hurts Indian nationals most, who already face long backlogs.
• H‑1B system overhaul
  • The H‑1B registration fee rose from $10 to $250 for FY 2026.
  • Registrations fell 26.9%, and only 120,141 were selected for further processing.
  • A proposed “Weighted Selection Process” would favor higher-wage offers, likely by early 2026—making it harder for recent master’s graduates and entry-level hires.
• Social media scrutiny
  • Students report being told to keep accounts public.
  • Posts, comments, “likes,” and protest participation are being weighed in visa reviews, renewals, and revocation actions.

VisaVerge.com reports that the combined effect is changing student plans and family finances. Many admitted students are deferring or switching to other destinations, while those already in the U.S. are juggling status risks with day-to-day costs.

Campus and labor market impact

Enforcement has arrived where students live and work. Inspections at worksites have increased. For many, that means stepping away from even legal on-campus roles due to confusion or fear.

The practical consequences include:

• Fewer employers willing to hire students
• Shorter hours and lost tips or shift differentials
• Reduced availability of crucial part-time income that paid rent and groceries

Students describe a simple equation: no part-time work means missed rent, overdue tuition, and food insecurity. Several universities have raised emergency funds—small grants for groceries, a month of rent, or an unexpected medical bill—but demand outpaces supply.

International student offices say they now spend much of their week explaining rules around:

• Full‑time enrollment
• On-campus work hour limits
• Strict bans on unauthorized off‑campus employment

Academic plans are fraying. A student who loses status mid-semester may need to stop attending classes immediately to avoid accruing unlawful presence. Some have tried to transfer; others explore reduced course loads for medical reasons. Legal advisors warn that appeals of revocations are rare and hard to win.

A few students have obtained temporary court orders allowing them to remain while their case proceeds, but those are exceptions rather than the rule.

The chill extends to future pathways. The EB‑2 freeze and the changing H‑1B landscape are closing doors many Indian students counted on. Graduates who hoped to shift from Optional Practical Training (OPT) into H‑1B now face higher costs and tougher odds, while wage-based selection could disfavor entry-level roles in lower-cost regions.

As one campus advisor put it: “Our students are doing the math. For some, the numbers no longer add up.”

Legal rights, process steps, and immediate actions students should take

In a year defined by tight visa enforcement, small steps matter. International offices and attorneys recommend students keep a simple, organized file:

• Passport, F‑1 visa, and I‑94 printout
• Current I‑20 showing full‑time status and any work authorization
• Pay stubs for on-campus jobs and, if applicable, any approved CPT
• Evidence of regular class attendance and academic progress

When applying for student visas and work authorization:

1. Complete Form DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application).
2. Keep a record of what you submitted, including address history and social media handles.
3. For post‑graduation work on OPT, file Form I‑765 (Application for Employment Authorization).
4. Follow your Designated School Official’s (DSO) instructions closely; even minor date errors can cause big problems.

Key links for forms and data:
– Form DS-160: U.S. Department of State DS‑160
– Form I-765: USCIS Form I‑765
– Visa statistics: U.S. Department of State visa statistics

Lawyers and advisors also stress basic risk-control measures:

• Obey all local and campus rules. Even minor infractions can trigger serious immigration consequences.
• Don’t work off-campus without written authorization on the I‑20 or an approved EAD.
• Maintain full‑time enrollment; if you must drop below, get prior approval from your DSO.
• Keep social media civil and factual. If your account is public, assume an officer can review it.
• Update your address with your DSO right away after any move.

In interviews, expect questions about funding, ties to home, and your academic plan. Be ready to show bank statements, scholarship letters, and a simple budget. With job scarcity, officers may ask how you’ll pay rent and food without unauthorized work; have a clear, honest answer.

Wider debate and economic consequences

Officials under President Trump frame the changes as necessary to protect security and uphold the rules. Critics argue the approach breaks with long-standing practice by revoking student visas at scale and with little notice, even when cases involve low-level offenses or paperwork errors.

Universities warn that enrollment could fall sharply by fall 2025, with losses running into the billions and ripple effects for local economies that depend on student spending.

For Indian families weighing fall 2025 entry, the timeline is tight. Interview slots are expected to be crowded, and the end of most interview waivers on September 2, 2025 will add to lines at consulates. Applicants should:

• Complete the DS‑160 early
• Prepare financial documents
• Schedule interviews as soon as possible

Those already in the U.S. should avoid any gap in full‑time status and seek documented advice before changing majors, campuses, or housing that could affect commuting and attendance.

There is no clear relief in sight for EB‑2 applicants. The freeze through September 30, 2025 means more months of waiting, and per‑country limits will continue to stretch timelines for Indians when the category reopens.

On the work front, the $250 H‑1B registration fee and potential wage-based selection signal a shift toward fewer slots for entry‑level roles in lower‑paid regions or fields. That change could reshape where international graduates take jobs and how employers recruit.

How students are adapting — and the human cost

Students are adapting in practical ways:

• Sharing housing to cut costs
• Taking campus jobs that match class schedules
• Building small savings cushions
• Choosing on-campus research roles over internships that might raise compliance questions
• Exploring alternative destinations or planning transfers to buy time (with caution against risky “school hopping”)

The human cost is easy to see and hard to measure. One missed paycheck can set off a chain reaction: a late rent notice, missed classes, a status review, then a canceled visa. Families who pooled savings for a U.S. degree watch plans wobble based on a single decision by an officer or a single text that says “revoked.”

At the same time, employers in college towns report fewer student applicants for late shifts and weekend roles, and landlords worry about higher turnover.

Officials insist the tighter stance will deter fraud and protect the system. Yet the immediate effect for many Indian students is a climate of caution that touches every choice—what job to take, what to post, even whether to join a peaceful campus rally. With interview rules tightening, the EB‑2 pause in place, and H‑1B changes ahead, the stakes for student visas have rarely felt higher.