'US expressed concern over lesser qualified visa application'

Washington, Sept 6 (PTI) Much before the Tri-Valley
University scam that affected many Indians was exposed in the
US, the American Consulate in Mumbai had expressed concern
over the steep jump in lesser qualified student visa
applications, a leaked US diplomatic cable has said.
According to the cable dated December 29, 2009, over the
past year, Mumbai noted a marked rise in the number of lesser
qualified student visa applicants, many of whom tended to
apply to the same universities.
A study of students visa found that multiple transfers
were not uncommon and 40 per cent of transfers were to a lower
level degree programme.
"In a second random sample of applicants issued only
for study at universities identified by adjudicators as
attracting a higher number of unqualified applicants, the
completion rate was lower, rate of terminations higher, and
the number of transfers down was greater," it said.
Of the 18,682 F1 applications received in calendar year
2007, Mumbai's adjusted refusal rate for individuals was 21
per cent, the cable said.
An extraordinary number of repeat refusals inflates
the refusal rate per application to 33 per cent.
"Unqualified F1 visa applicants appear for third,
fourth, and sometimes seventh interviews hoping for a
different decision," it said.
"Mumbai's refused student applicants are characterised by
difficulty communicating in English (with or without
anticipated English training on their I-20s), few or single
university applications submitted, poor standardized test
scores, financing by extended family dependant on agricultural
income, and a rehearsed script of the reasons they selected
the particular university," the cable said.
"Many of these applicants state that they found the
school on the internet, but when pressed during the interview
acknowledged that they applied based on a local recruiting
agent's presentation," the cable said.
"A second trend of concern is universities that fail
to update SEVIS status when students' residential addresses
indicate they are not maintaining active status by registering
for classes or working on authorised CPT/OPT," it said.
"These trends ensure that Mumbai adjudicators will
continue to assess the intent of student applicants to
complete their stated degree programme as a major factor in
student visa adjudications," the cable said.
The US Consulate in Mumbai in fact conducted detailed
investigations into the student visas issued by it and
questioned as to how an Indian student admitted to a
university in California was doing a job in suburb of
Washington.
"Certain F1 students were reportedly studying at the
University of Northern Virginia in Manassas, but residing in
Edison, New Jersey, a center of migration for Gujarati
speakers from the Mumbai consular district," the US cable
released by WikiLeaks said.
"Mumbai (Consulate) will continue to adjudicate
individual students not schools, but is concerned by the
widespread over issuance of I-20s by universities that
consistently see students transfer, become deactivated or
cancelled," said the American cable issued by the US Consulate
in Mumbai in December 2009.
The US Consulate had also expressed its concern over the
manner in which the provision of practical training was being
misused.
"Several SEVIS records reviewed from among the
"schools of concern" list provide anecdotal evidence that
student's activities upon entering the US appear to be
inconsistent with the educational goals they had presented to
the visa officer, and that I-20 issuing institutions appear to
be exploiting the Practical Training exception in 9 FAM 41.61
N13.4," it said.
Examples include a student initially admitted to
International Technical University in Sunnyvale, CA, who
within a semester was granted Curriculum Practical Training
(CPT) to work as a sales associate at 7-Eleven in Odenton, MD
(Maryland), followed immediately by CPT to at Motel 8 in
Kalamazoo, MI (Michigan), the cable said.
In another case, SEVIS ID N0004673956 was granted CPT to
work as a 7-Eleven store manager on arrival to Silicon Valley
University, another indication that certain institutions
appear to be exploiting the Practical Training exception," it
said.
According to the cable, another Indian student
(SEVIS ID N0004297232) shows "ACTIVE" status at the University
of Northern Virginia, with no mention of CPT authorisation in
New Jersey, but does show a "DEACTIVATED" record at New York's
Bluedata International Institute without explanation in the
previous month.
Noting that at the master's level, students are expected
to maintain a course load of nine credit hours per term to
maintain active status, the Mumbai Consulate said it is
unclear how without performing off-site CPT work, this
applicant managed to commute five and a half hours to attend
classes.
"This pattern casts doubt on the accuracy of status
reported by some institutions," the Mumbai Consulate said.