Latest news with #StudentVisa
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Nigerians hit by cuts in US visa duration
The United States has announced sweeping changes to its non-immigrant visa policy for Nigeria, cutting the duration and conditions under which most Nigerian travellers can enter the 8 July, the US Department of State says nearly all non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be single-entry and valid for only three says this is part of a global reciprocity realignment, a sharp shift from previous visa terms, which often allowed for multiple entries over two years or also offers single-entry visas valid for three months only for those planning to visit the country from the US. The Nigerian government has not yet State Department says visa policies remain "subject to ongoing review" and may change depending on evolving diplomatic, security, and immigration a statement, the US government said it was working closely with Nigerian authorities to ensure the country meets key international include:issuing secure travel documentsmanaging visa overstayssharing security or criminal data for public safety purposesThe US also ordered that the social media accounts of all foreigners applying for visas, including from Nigeria, would be vetted for "any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States".Nigerians account for one of the highest number of student-visa applications to the US in the world. More BBC stories on Nigeria: Big shake-up in Nigerian politics as heavyweights join forcesNigeria's major tax overhaul explainedWhat is behind the wave of killings in central Nigeria? Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
RNZ News
24-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Visa approvals for Indian students climb after steep declines
Visa approvals for Indian students rise slightly after two years of high rejection rates. Photo: 123rf Visa approvals for Indian nationals are on the rise after two years of steep declines, with new figures showing a drop in rejection rates for student visa applications. From 1 January to 22 June, Immigration New Zealand received 6548 applications for student visas from Indian nationals. Of those, 4780 were approved and 1501 declined, giving Indian applicants a 75.4 percent approval rate and a 23.7 percent rejection rate. That's a notable improvement from 2024, when Immigration New Zealand approved 8,997, or 58.9 percent, of the 14,313 applications it received from Indian students. At the same time, the agency rejected 39.5 percent of the applications. In 2023, Immigration New Zealand approved 6523 applications, or 62.7 percent, of the 11,537 applications it received. The rejection rate for the year was 34.9 percent. "Increased engagement with the education sector and agents, and Immigration New Zealand detailing the type of information needed to assess the application, has contributed to the improvement," said Celia Coombes, director of visa at Immigration New Zealand. "As per the current 2025 year-to-date figures, the approval rate for both China and India is higher than in 2024 and 2023," Coombes said. Applications from Chinese students have also seen a decline in rejection rates, falling to just 1.6 percent so far in 2025, down from 2.9 percent in 2024 and 3 percent in 2023. "This is due to increased engagement with the education sector and agents, and Immigration New Zealand detailing the type of information needed to assess the application," Coombes added. From 1 January to 22 June, Immigration New Zealand received 6548 applications for student visas from Indian nationals. Photo: RNZ / Yiting Lin The rebound in visa approvals comes amid a broader push to revive New Zealand's international education sector. More than half of the country's universities are now offering dedicated packages for Indian applicants, including scholarships and fee discounts. Five institutions currently have such offers in place. In April 2024, Education New Zealand - the government agency promoting the country to foreign students - partnered with the High Commission of India in Wellington to mark India as the "country of honour" at the 2024 New Zealand International Education Conference. Education New Zealand is also working on a three-year growth plan to expand the international education sector. The agency had previously said international students contributed $3.7 billion to the economy in 2019 - a figure that dropped sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting job cuts and emergency funding for universities. However, the international education sector has shown signs of stabilisation, with April 2025 enrolments matching pre-pandemic figures. Universities New Zealand said the country's eight universities had about 20,000 full-time equivalent international students in April this year. Arunima Dhingra Photo: Supplied "This improvement is both welcome and timely," said Arunima Dhingra, CEO of Aims Global Immigration and Education. However, she said the problem of incorrectly declined student visa applications had been "persistent and frustrating" for months. "It has been raised repeatedly - by industry bodies, education providers and licensed immigration professionals - to senior INZ leadership and government officials alike," she said. While INZ had attributed past rejections to issues around financial documentation, Dhingra said confusion still lingered. "Another issue that continues to cause confusion is the mismatch between INZ's public-facing checklists and the reality of how applications are assessed," she said. Dhingra said applicants who had followed Immigration New Zealand's existing online checklist to the letter were being declined, and the agency had yet to release an updated version. "If INZ truly wants to support better approval outcomes, especially from high-volume markets like India, [it] must improve transparency around ... expectations - particularly around financial evidence," she said. "While we understand they can't provide an exhaustive list, clarity around how things like nationalised education loans or payment plans are actually assessed would make a huge difference."
Local Spain
19-06-2025
- Local Spain
The key changes to Spain's Student Visa in 2025
If you're looking to move to Spain, you may have primarily been looking into two options – the Non-Lucrative Visa and the Digital Nomad Visa, but there is one visa you may not have considered, which is the Student Visa. This could be a great option to initially move to Spain or even if you just want to move here temporarily because it's relatively easy to get and doesn't have the high financial requirements of the other visas – providing you can afford to pay for the course. It's not just for young people either, you can apply for it any age. You could opt for higher education courses or language courses, which are very popular. Spain's new immigration law, which recently came into force on May 20th made several changes to the Student Visa, however, so it's worth being aware of those if this is an option you're considering. The main changes are to do with the type of course you're studying. Basically now there are different rules for those on higher education courses, such as Master's or PhD, and those on a regular course like a one at a Spanish language academy. Previously you were allowed to come to Spain as a tourist and apply for a student visa, but now you must apply in your home country before you arrive. This must be done through your local consulate. You must be 18 or older to apply There is now a lower age limit to be able to apply for the student visa – you must be at least 18 years old. Keep in mind, there is no upper age limit, so you can come and be a mature student too. If you're not doing a higher education course, your time is limited Before you could renew your student visa multiple times to stay longer in Spain, but now you can only stay for a maximum of two years if doing a language course for example, or a course that is not Master's or PhD. This could be a one-year course and then you can renew it for a second year for a different course, or continue with the same one if it's longer. Students doing language courses must pass a test to renew their visa In order to renew your visa you must show a certificate of completion and you must now pass a language proficiency test in order to renew this includes: DELE Certificate (Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language). Registration for the DELE exam SIELE Certificate - an official Spanish test with digital certification Changes to renewals for vocational training If you choose to do a vocation training course, like learning to be a plumber or an electrician in Spain for example, there are now a few changes if you want to renew. You must: Present a certified diploma or school certificate. You can apply for renewal in Spain two months before your visa expires and two months before the start of the next academic year. Once you complete the vocational training course, you can change your visa to a work residency visa. You cannot modify your visa if are not doing a higher education course Previously you were able to do any type of course, not just a higher degree and then modify your visa to a different type such as a working visa and get a job here. Unfortunately, this is no longer possible if you're just doing a language course or similar, you have to be in higher education if you want to have this option. Changes to working permission Up until last month, anyone on a student visa could work up to 30 hours per week to help support themselves during their studies, but now it's only for those on higher education courses. If you're on a lower-level course like studying Spanish culture or language, you are not automatically allowed to work, you must instead apply for special authorisation to be able to do so. New rules about bringing family members Again there is another change for those doing not doing a higher education course in that they cannot bring dependent family members with them. Before, you could bring your partner or your child with you, whatever you were studying, but now this is only for those on high level degrees.
Arab News
31-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
‘Everything came crashing down': US visa freeze shatters hopes of young Pakistani students
ISLAMABAD: For many in Pakistan, the US visa freeze has felt like a devastating setback after years of academic effort and ambition, affected applicants and an education consultant said on Friday. The suspension, ordered by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this week, halts new student and exchange visa appointments worldwide and is part of a broader policy under President Donald Trump's administration to intensify screening of foreign nationals, including expanded social media vetting. US embassies have been instructed to pause interviews while new guidelines are being finalized, as officials in Washington say the goal is to identify potential security risks amid a rise in campus activism following Israel's war in Gaza, which has sharply polarized student opinion. Trump's critics argue, however, the measures are discriminatory and risk undermining access to American higher education for bright students from developing countries — long considered a cornerstone of the US advantage in global research and innovation. 'I had always dreamed of pursuing higher education in the United States and after months of preparation, hard work and dedication, I finally got accepted into New York University,' Mohammad Ibrahim, a student from Lahore, told Arab News over the phone. 'But just as I was preparing for the next big chapter of my life, everything came crashing down,' he continued, adding that due to the sudden visa ban imposed by the Trump administration, his plans have been put on hold. Ibrahim said despite getting admission after meeting all the university requirements, he was now stuck in an uncertain situation, with nothing to do but wait, hope and keep trying to move forward, even when everything had suddenly gone beyond his control. 'It's disappointing,' he said. 'An entire year of my life feels like being wasted.' Inayah Murtaza, an exchange program candidate from the same city, said the new US policy had led to delays in visa interviews and a ban on the exchange student program, leaving her and many others devastated. 'American higher education system provides excellent opportunities. However, the recent policies by the Trump administration are extremely devastating,' she said, adding the ban had hurt her both emotionally and financially. For Malik Zalaid Hassan, from Sheikhupura, who had secured admission to study artificial intelligence at the University of California, the visa suspension was a huge setback. 'I won't get my money back… I just lost a ton of money,' he told Arab News, emphasizing he had already paid thousands of dollars in tuition and housing fees. 'I really hope America does something about this and I really hope it changes because this has an impact on a lot of people,' he continued. Mohammad Ayyan Akhtar, a counselor at UniGrad, an education consultancy firm in Lahore, said the visa appointments ban had placed many students in a heart-wrenching situation. 'It includes their financial losses, and on top of everything, their academic loss is a big concern,' he said. 'The Trump administration should lift [the ban] as early as possible to save the loss of hundreds of Pakistani students [of their] academic year,' he added.
CBC
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Canadian Harvard student says he's not sure how to re-enter U.S.
Montrealer Marco Avina, a PhD candidate at Harvard University, says his immediate concern is how he's getting back into the U.S. after travelling abroad, now that the Trump administration has ordered the school to terminate its Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
