Not guilty but guilty! Indian students face visa cancellation in US even after courts find them clear

After having his identity stolen by a friend, an Indian student in the US went through legal proceedings, presented video proof, and was acquitted. Despite the court ruling in his favour, his student visa was revoked, and his SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record was terminated — placing him at risk of having to leave the country voluntarily.

This isn't an isolated case. Over the past few weeks, several Indian students have received notices about cancelled visas — even in situations involving no wrongdoing or trivial infractions. These range from minor traffic violations to administrative misunderstandings, none of which would typically justify such a severe consequence.

Chand Paravathneni, an immigration lawyer based in Texas, said he's currently representing more than 30 students in similar situations. “These students have spent lakhs of rupees, taken educational loans, and now, they’re not even allowed to complete their degrees. This is really concerning,” he told India Today Digital.

According to him, even a single mark on a student’s record has been enough to trigger visa termination. “The common thread among all these students is that they were flagged once — that’s all it took,” he said.

This trend appears to be part of broader immigration shifts that began during Donald Trump’s presidency when federal scrutiny of international students increased sharply. The government is now using artificial intelligence to identify foreign students who may show support for groups like Hamas, which are labeled as terrorist organizations — a move that has impacted some visa holders.

However, the recent spate of cancellations targeting Indian students involves no national security concerns. In one instance, a student was penalized for a car accident while on a learner’s permit, even after paying the fine and following legal steps. Another faced charges in a domestic case that was eventually dropped — yet still lost their visa.

Not guilty, but guilty!

Other students were found not guilty in shoplifting and DUI cases, but still had their legal status revoked. One was arrested over an International Driving Licence deemed invalid in a particular state. Even traffic infractions like reckless driving, without any connection to alcohol or drugs, have led to SEVIS termination.

One student’s visa was affected because of an incident flagged at the Port of Entry a decade ago, despite maintaining a clean record and holding a valid visa.

Once a SEVIS record is closed, the student is considered out of status. They must either leave within 15 days or try to legally restore their standing. Failure to act could result in formal deportation and bans on re-entry. Those choosing to leave can do so using the CBP One app, which schedules self-deportation appointments.

Paravathneni stressed that students should exhaust all legal avenues before opting to exit. “They can contest the revocation through legal channels and request that it be reversed. Self-deportation should always be the last resort,” he said.