Indian Students Lead In Flouting U.S. Visa Rules; 7,000 Overstayed In 2023

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – India had the highest number of student visa overstays in the U.S. last year, with 7,000 Indian students staying beyond their permitted time, according to U.S. immigration expert Jessica M. Vaughan. In comparison, Brazil and China, the next highest on the list, each had around 2,000 students overstaying their visas.

Speaking before the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Vaughan warned that student and exchange visitor visas, especially F-1 (for academic students) and M-1 (for vocational students), have some of the highest overstay rates among all temporary visas.

Vaughan, a policy analyst at the Center for Immigration Studies, argued that the current system is too lax and allows students to abuse their visa status. She called for stricter enforcement, requiring students to prove they intend to return home after their studies. She also criticized the “dual intent” policy, which lets student visa holders express interest in staying in the U.S. after graduation.

Programs like Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which allow international students to work in the U.S. after completing their education, were also flagged as vulnerable to fraud.

Vaughan recommended tighter controls and stricter standards for schools issuing I-20 forms, which are necessary for student visa applications. Schools with high overstay rates, she said, should lose their authorization to sponsor foreign students.

Beyond student visas, Vaughan pushed for major reforms to work visa programs, including H-1B visas. She proposed cutting the total number of H-1B visas to 75,000 annually and prioritizing higher-paying employers. She also suggested reducing the visa duration for specialty occupations to two years with limited extensions.

Vaughan rejected claims of a labor shortage, citing unemployed U.S. STEM graduates. She argued that the U.S. should focus on hiring domestic workers before expanding foreign work programs. Her testimony adds to the growing debate on tightening immigration policies and curbing visa overstays, especially among Indian students.

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