Indians in US to Face More Visa Troubles

The US government has decided to close three immigration help centers, including the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Ombudsman office. This decision has worried many Indian students and H-1B visa holders living in the US.

These support offices helped immigrants solve visa problems like delays, document errors, and communication issues with the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). Many Indians used these services for visa extensions and other support.

In 2024, nearly 30,000 people got help from the Ombudsman’s Office. A large number of them were Indians who were waiting for visa updates or had issues with their legal stay in the US.

Immigration experts say this decision could create more problems. Without these offices, people will have fewer ways to solve visa issues. This can lead to missed job opportunities, legal troubles, or even deportation.

Lawyers say the Ombudsman’s Office played a big role in helping when other systems failed. For example, one Indian engineer had to wait 11 months for his visa renewal. After contacting the office, he got approval in just two weeks.

Now that these help centers are closing, students on F-1 visas and workers on H-1B visas may find it harder to deal with problems. This decision is seen as part of stricter immigration policies introduced by the Trump administration.

Many believe the government should improve help systems, not remove them, especially since thousands of Indians live, study, and work in the US.