An F-1 student on Optional Practical Training shared a personal U.S. re-entry experience after returning from India following a 40-day family visit. According to the student’s account, the return journey was on Etihad Airways. During the transit process at Abu Dhabi, the student said there was no full U.S. immigration interview. Airport staff reportedly checked the student’s passport and Form I-20 before placing a clearance stamp on the boarding pass. F-1 OPT

Indian passport visa-free destinations remain a key travel option even after India slipped two places to 80th in a July update of the Henley Passport Index. Indian citizens still have access to 56 destinations through visa-free entry, visa on arrival or electronic travel authorization, according to the access categories cited in the update. Indian passport visa-free destinations remain open The easier tra

India’s passport ranking stands at 80th in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, giving Indian passport holders access to 56 destinations without obtaining a traditional visa before travel. The ranking, current as of Friday, July 3, 2026, places India alongside Mauritania and Senegal. Henley’s index covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations and is updated monthly using International Air Transport Association data. India

Indian students admitted to U.S. universities for Fall 2026 are facing a shortage of F-1 visa appointment slots, raising concerns that some may miss August program start dates or be forced to defer enrollment. Many applicants have already completed admissions requirements and received Form I-20 from their universities. However, students say the U.S. visa scheduling portal has shown few or no available interview appointments for weeks.

India has launched an e-OCI card for more than 5 million Overseas Citizen of India cardholders, giving them a digital credential for immigration and airline verification while keeping existing physical OCI cards valid. Readers unfamiliar with the program can review our explainer on what an OCI

Thailand’s 60-day visa-free entry for Indian travelers remains in effect despite Thailand’s approval of wider immigration changes. The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi states that Indian ordinary passport holders may continue entering Thailand without a visa for tourism and short-term business stays of up to 60 days until a further announcement. and visa-free entry for Indians remains active

An Indian executive’s account of India immigration delays has renewed debate over airport staffing, manual document checks and the use of automated border technology. Venkat Patakota, group chief financial officer of A-Sunmarine Engineering, said in a post on X that one immigration process in India took about 45 minutes, compared with less than a minute in Singapore. India immigration delays prompt traveler debate Patakota sa

Indian residents filed 1,153,748 Schengen short-stay visa applications in 2025, and 181,111 did not result in a uniform visa, according to European Commission data published on Thursday, May 28, 2026. Under the Commission’s methodology, India’s non-issuance rate was 15.8%, compared with a global refusal rate of 14.6%. India was the world’s third-largest source of Schengen visa applications, behind China and Türkiye. A total of 966,529 uniform visas were issued to applicants f

The Canada World Cup visa refusal rate for Indians reached about 71%, with only 355 of 1,225 FIFA 2026-related visitor visa applications approved, according to data attributed to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The figures cover applications processed from Saturday, November 15, 2025, through Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Canada processed nearly 17,000 visitor visa applications linked to the tournament during that period and approved

India tourist visas for Bangladeshi citizens will resume on Sunday, June 28, 2026, reopening a major travel channel after a suspension of nearly two years. India’s new High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, announced the change after formally assuming office in Dhaka. India Tourist Visas for Bangladeshi Citizens Reopen June 28 Trivedi presented his credentials to Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban on Th

India has moved the registration deadline forward for certain foreign nationals who plan to remain in the country beyond 180 days. Under amendments to the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025, published in the Official Gazette on Monday, June 1, 2026, affected visitors must register before the 180-day period expires. Who must register before the 180-day deadline The amended rule applies to foreign nationals entering India on visas valid for 180 days or

The UK will open a combined 1,800 annual visa places for Indian traditional chefs, classical musicians and yoga instructors when the UK–India trade agreement takes effect on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The allocation falls under the Global Business Mobility–Service Supplier route. It is one shared cap covering all three occupations, not 1,800 places for each profession. The annual allocation is measured from January 1 through December 31.

FRISCO, Texas — Frisco apartment leasing claims raised during a City Council meeting on Monday, June 15, 2026, targeted Indian immigrants but were not supported by documents, data or other evidence presented at the meeting. The speaker, identified as Kelly and described as a former Frisco property manager, accused some Indian immigrants of bypassing apartment screening, receiving preferential housing access and displacing local workers. Frisco apartment leasing

The H-1B visa fee ruling has eased concerns for Indian students, skilled workers and US employers after a federal judge in Boston blocked the Trump administration’s proposed $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions. US District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled on Monday, June 8, 2026, that the fee was unlawful because it effectively operated as a tax on H-1B petitions without approval from Congress. The policy, announced on Friday, September 19, 2025, had raised immediate concern among stud

A recent US federal court ruling has brought temporary relief to many immigrants affected by strict immigration restrictions introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration. The court blocked immigration curbs that had slowed or paused several applications, including asylum cases, work permits, green cards and citizenship-related processes for people from 39 countries. India was not part of the restricted country list. So, Indian citizens do not receive direct relief from th

A video from Frisco, Texas, has sparked outrage after a man was seen tearing an Indian flag outside Frisco City Hall during an anti-immigration protest on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. NRIPage also published a video commentary on the issue, highlighting why disrespect toward a flag cannot erase the contributions of Indian-origin people in America. Watch our reel here: Indi

A video showing an Indian flag being torn outside Frisco City Hall in Texas on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, has raised concern among Indian American residents in North Texas. A video of the incident circulated on Facebook and other social media platforms. Readers can view the Facebook video here.  

The 2026 USCIS green card policy update has created fresh concern among NRIs, H-1B workers, F-1 students and families in the US, especially those applying through the Adjustment of Status route. USCIS Tightens Green Card Review Process USCIS has issued a policy update that may make the green card process more closely reviewed for applicants already living in the United States. The update focuses on Adjustment of Status, the process that allows eligible imm

EB-2 India is unavailable for fiscal year 2026 after all available visa numbers for Indian applicants were used, pausing final Green Card approvals until the next fiscal year begins on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The U.S. State Department said all available Employment-Based Second Preference immigrant visas for applicants chargeable to India have been issued for FY2026. As a result, U.S. embassies and consulates cannot issue additional EB-2 immigrant visas in these cases for the rema

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced a new “America First” visa scheduling tool aimed at making the American consular process faster, more secure and more aligned with US national interests. The announcement came during his four-day visit to India, where discussions focused on the growing importance of India-US relations in trade, investment, technology, defense and strategic cooperation. The tool is reportedly built around a priority principle: visa applicants whose