An Indian student studying in the United States was forced to return to India after he was stopped at Amsterdam Airport and informed that his F-1 student visa had been revoked nearly a year earlier. The Hyderabad-based student was travelling back to the United States when authorities denied him permission to board his onward flight to New York.
Stopped Before US-Bound Flight
According to media reports, the student was transiting through Amsterdam and was scheduled to travel to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. During the process, officials informed him that he could not continue his journey because his US student visa was no longer valid.
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The student said he had first entered the United States in January 2025 on an F-1 visa. After being stopped in Amsterdam, he discovered that the visa had reportedly been revoked in July 2025.
He claimed he had not received clear information about the cancellation. He also said he had no criminal record and had not been involved in any drunk-driving incident, traffic violation or other law-enforcement matter that might have alerted him to a possible immigration issue.
University Records Still Active
After being denied onward travel, the student was instructed to return to India and advised to contact the appropriate US consular authorities for further guidance on his immigration status and future travel.
The student then contacted his university in the United States for clarification. University officials informed him that both his Form I-20 and SEVIS record remained active and in good standing.
The development created confusion because the student’s university records showed that he continued to maintain his student status, even though the visa required for international travel and re-entry had reportedly been revoked.
Visa and Student Status Are Separate
Immigration experts note that an active I-20 and SEVIS record do not necessarily mean that a student’s visa remains valid. The Form I-20 is issued by a US educational institution, while SEVIS is the federal database used to track foreign students and exchange visitors.
Experts say a student may remain compliant with academic and immigration requirements in the United States even if the visa used for travel and re-entry is cancelled separately by US authorities.
The student is now seeking clarification about the revocation and exploring the process of applying for a new visa. The incident has raised concerns among international students about the need to verify visa validity before travelling, even when university records show active student status.
