Telangana: Visa delays may derail students’ foreign dreams

HYDERABAD: While students going abroad for further studies are relieved over the state government’s decision to vaccinate them, many are worried over the delay in processing their visas due to closure of US consulate and the Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) global centers.
Despite getting admission offers from universities abroad, city students are in a fix on whether they’ll be able to travel overseas and join their peers when the fall semester commences in August/September.
“I completed my medicals on April 27 in Bengaluru before the lockdown and applied for the visa on May 5. I have been waiting to get my biometric done so that my visa can be processed. However, closure of the VFS centers in Telangana is resulting in delay,” said Hrudhvi Bandla, 23, who has secured admission for masters in management (business analytics) at Western University in Ontario in Canada.
With many universities mandating 15 days quarantine period before the commencement of classes, students are racing against time to get their visas processed.
“My classes commence from September 7 and the Canadian government has mandated15 days institutional quarantine for those coming from other countries. In that case, I have to be in Canada latest by August 15. Therefore, I have to get my visa latest by July to be able to make flight bookings,” said Ashish Patnaik, 21, who has secured admission for masters in global business administration at Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Toronto in Canada.
Closure of the US Consulate has also put many students in a fix. With the lockdown extending for another 10 days in Telangana, many have reached out to the authorities on social media seeking help.
“Dear @KTRTRS sir please do something for us students who are about to leave to abroad this Fall 21. Along with the vaccination we also need the US consulate @USAndHyderabad to be available so that we can get our visas. We’ve only 2 months left, else we’ve to wait until winter 21’,” tweeted Likhitha Gupta, a student.
Following several requests from students, IT minister KT Rama Rao has requested the US Consulate to look into them. The VFS centers are waiting for government directives.