Latest news with #U.S.EmbassyIndia
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Committing assault, theft in U.S. could lead to visa being revoked: U.S. Embassy in India
Committing assault, theft or burglary in the United States won't just cause legal issues but could also lead to a visa being revoked and make that person 'ineligible' for future U.S. visas, the country's embassy in India has said. The stern warning comes in the backdrop of a viral video purportedly showing an Indian woman being held by police authorities after she allegedly tried to shoplift several items at a high-end store in the U.S. Also read: U.S. requires visa applicants to share social media used in 5 years: U.S. Embassy in India However, the veracity of the video, widely shared on various social media platforms, could not be independently verified. In a brief statement on Wednesday (July 16, 2025), the Embassy also said America values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws. The statement was shared on the X handle of the Embassy. Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won't just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future U.S. visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws. — U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) July 16, 2025 'Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won't just cause you legal issues — it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future U.S. visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws,' the Embassy said. Also read: U.S. Embassy, consulates in India put new student visa appointments on pause On June 19, the Embassy in a post had said that a U.S. visa is 'a privilege, not a right'; its screening does not stop after a visa has been issued and authorities might revoke it if one breaks the law.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 days ago
- First Post
'It could lead to...': US embassy warns visa applicants after Indian woman caught shoplifting in US
The US embassy in India has issued a new advisory for visa applicants, warning them to follow American laws while visiting the country. The statement comes after a viral video showed an Indian woman allegedly caught shoplifting at a Target store in the US. read more Seven hours, one cart, $1,300 worth of theft: Outrage after video shows Indian woman caught shoplifting in US. Image: News18 The US embassy in India has issued a fresh warning for US visa applicants after a video of an Indian woman allegedly caught shoplifting at a US store went viral on social media. The woman was accused of stealing items worth $1,300 (around ₹1.1 lakh) during her visit. In a post on X, the embassy cautioned individuals against committing crimes such as assault, theft, or burglary while in the United States. 'Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won't just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future US visas,' the embassy said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won't just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future U.S. visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws. — U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) July 16, 2025 The statement further stressed that the United States values law and order and expects all foreign visitors to adhere to US laws. Indian woman caught shoplifting at Target According to a video posted by YouTube channel @BodyCamEdition, the Indian tourist was caught attempting to shoplift at a Target store. In the footage, she can be seen pleading with officers to let her pay for the items. 'But if I'm paying for it, what is the harm?' she asks. An officer replies: 'It would have been fine if you didn't leave. You had the chance to pay. But once you left the store, you made the choice not to — and we can't go back from that.' The latest advisory comes amid a series of recent restrictions and warnings related to US visa applications. Just last month, the US embassy had issued another advisory after an Indian student was detained and deported for attempting to enter the country illegally. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Though diplomatic advisories typically avoid harsh language, the embassy's recent statements reflect a tightening of scrutiny over visa applicants and visitor conduct.
News18
3 days ago
- News18
'It Could Lead To...:' US Embassy's Warning After Indian Woman Caught Shoplifting In Illinois
Last Updated: Following an incident involving an Indian woman caught shoplifting, the United States issued an advisory warning that crimes like theft or assault could lead to visa revocation. Hours after an Indian woman was caught shoplifting in the United States, the Donald Trump-led country has issued an advisory warning against theft or burglary. In a post on social media, the US Embassy in India also mentioned that indulging in such acts could lead to the revocation of their visa and making them ineligible for US visits in the future. 'Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won't just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future U.S. visas," the advisory stated. 'The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws," it added. Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won't just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future U.S. visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws. — U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) July 16, 2025 The Indian woman in question was being interrogated after she was allegedly found stealing things from a Target store in Illinois. The staff and security at the store grew suspicious after the woman spent more than seven hours at the store. Subsequently, higher authorities were informed, and the police were called. It was later claimed she attempted to steal merchandise worth around $1,300 from the retail store. The woman later offered to pay for the items she had lifted. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India.com
3 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Visa Granted, But You're Still Being Watched: US Warns Indians Of Immediate Deportation For Any Violation
New Delhi: The U.S. Embassy in India has warned visa holders and applicants that receiving a visa is no shield from deportation. In a message shared on social media, the embassy said that American authorities continue to monitor individuals even after a visa has been granted and that anyone found violating U.S. laws or immigration rules could face immediate visa revocation and deportation. 'U.S. visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued. We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all U.S. laws and immigration rules – and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don't,' the embassy posted on X (formerly Twitter). U.S. visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued. We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all U.S. laws and immigration rules – and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don't. — U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) July 12, 2025 The embassy made it clear that visa holders are under routine surveillance. Students on F-1 visas. Techies on H-1Bs. Visitors. Tourists. Everyone. The warning comes amid a wave of tightening visa controls and intensified monitoring mechanisms under new screening protocols. And officials did not need to cite examples. Past cases have shown that people caught working off-campus without permission, misrepresenting social media activity or violating the terms of academic enrollment have faced detention, revoked visas and removal orders. Social Media Too Is Being Watched The embassy is deep-diving into the internet. In an earlier post, it warned, 'Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.' Applicants now must list every social media handle used in the last five years on the DS-160 form — from LinkedIn and Facebook to X and Instagram. And that is not only for transparency, but for continuous tracking. In fact, as per updated guidance issued just weeks ago, applicants for student and cultural exchange visas (F, M, J) are now required to make their social media profiles public. The aim? Easier vetting. 'Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to public,' the embassy declared. Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to 'public' to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States… — State_SCA (@State_SCA) July 15, 2025 Why This Matters for Indian Visa Holders The message could not be clearer – every move counts. The days of lax oversight are gone. From attending your college classes to switching employers and from tweeting political views to maintaining a clean immigration record, every action could make or break your stay. A technical violation, an unreported course change or a simple omission in paperwork can now lead to irreversible consequences. This crackdown comes against a wider backdrop. U.S. immigration agencies are ramping up vetting not only at the application stage, but long after entry. With growing concerns around visa fraud, overstays and unreported employment, especially in countries like India, which sends one of the highest numbers of visa applicants, Washington is turning up the heat. What You Need to Know Now Visa approval is not the finish line. It is the beginning of long-term monitoring. Any violation of terms, including unauthorised work, dropping out of school or overstaying, can result in visa revocation and deportation. Social media presence is under strict review. Every handle over the past five years must be disclosed. Privacy settings must be public for some visa categories. All status changes must be legally reported and updated through the appropriate immigration channels.
Scroll.in
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
US says screening does not stop at visa approval, warns it will deport those who break laws
The United States on Saturday said that its visa screening process does not stop after a permit is issued and that it continuously checks all holders to ensure that they are following the country's laws and immigration rules. 'We will revoke their visas and deport them if they don't,' the US Embassy in India stated. A day earlier, the embassy said that ' falsifying or omitting information can lead to visa denial and future visa ineligibility'. In a video, it asked students and exchange programme applicants to list all their social media handles used in the past five years on their visa forms. 'If you omit your social media information, it could lead to a visa denial, and you might become ineligible for future visas,' said the embassy. This comes amid the Donald Trump administration's crackdown on international students. On May 27, Washington instructed its embassies globally to halt student visa interviews until further notice. Since the interviews resumed in June, all student and exchange visitor visa applicants globally have been required to make their social media profiles public. The change was aimed at enabling background checks during the visa screening process to establish applicants' 'identity and admissibility', the US embassy in New Delhi had said. Since 2019, the US has required visa applicants to submit social media identifiers, the diplomatic mission added in a statement. Washington has also taken aggressive actions to try to enforce its demands on universities, including freezing hundreds of millions of dollars in university funding, revoking visas and attempting to deport international students. However, many of these measures have been blocked by the courts. U.S. visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued. We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all U.S. laws and immigration rules – and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don't. — U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) July 12, 2025 More than 1.1 million international students were enrolled in US universities during the academic year 2023-'24, accounting for 6% of those pursuing higher education in the country, according to the US-based non-governmental organisation Institute of International Education. India sent the highest number of students, followed by China, it added. However, recent data from the US State Department showed that the number of student visas issued to Indians between March and May was at its lowest level since the Covid-19 pandemic year 2022. The number of F-1 visas issued to Indians between March and May decreased by about 27% compared to the same period in 2024. An F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows students from other countries to study in the US. The period between March and May is considered to be a busy period for student visa applications as the fall intake, which is the preferred entry point for most international students, begins in August and September at most US universities.
