F1 Fiasco: What’s The Future Of Indian Students?

It is already known that the Donald Trump administration in the United States has started to largely clamp down on the immigration policies. This is showing serious effects on the Indian community, and it appears that the situation is not likely to slowdown in the near future either.

An international student on an F1 visa has landed in serious trouble due to delays and confusion surrounding H1B consular processing, highlighting a growing issue faced by many foreign students in the US.

In this case, the student’s H1B petition was approved under consular processing, which clearly requires the individual to exit the United States and re enter after visa stamping. However, the student never travelled abroad, meaning the H1B status was never activated.

Despite this, USCIS systems reflected the student as having moved to H1B status. This led to the shocking denial of the student’s STEM OPT extension, as authorities assumed the F1 status had already ended.

While the STEM OPT was later approved after intervention, the damage was already done. The student’s SEVIS record continued to show the F1 program as completed, pushing them into a dangerous status limbo.

Adding to the problem, the employer has not yet received the physical I 797 approval notice, which is essential for the university DSO to correct SEVIS records. Delays in USCIS communication and documentation have only worsened the situation.

This case exposes serious gaps in coordination between USCIS, SEVIS, employers, and educational institutions. For thousands of international students, especially Indians, such administrative confusion can threaten careers, legal status, and years of effort, despite following the rules in good faith.