he US Embassy in India on Tuesday issued a strong advisory to international students, emphasizing the importance of strictly following the terms of their student visas while studying in the United States.

The warning highlighted that students who drop out, miss classes, or leave their programs without informing their universities could face immediate visa revocation and become ineligible for future US visa applications.

Students were urged to always comply with visa conditions and maintain their student status to avoid complications.

Recently, many international students in the US have found their legal status terminated or their student visas revoked with little warning. New grounds for terminating student status include visa revocation and appearing in criminal or fingerprint databases, which were not previously considered.

Since late March, at least 1,222 students at 187 colleges and universities have had their visas revoked or status terminated, according to an Associated Press review of school records and court documents. The actual number affected is likely higher, with 4,736 visa records terminated in the SEVIS database by April 10, according to ICE Homeland Security Investigations.

International students must obtain a visa to study in the US, demonstrating sufficient financial support and admission to a government-approved school, followed by a consulate interview for the visa. Once in the US, they must remain enrolled and in good standing, with limited off-campus work options. After graduation, students can work for 12 months, or up to 36 months for STEM graduates, before applying for longer-term employment visas.

The SEVIS system tracks students’ legal status, which is usually ended when students fail to maintain their program status, graduate, or change visas. Previously, status terminations were mostly routine updates initiated by schools.

American universities attract many Indian students. In 2023, the US consulate in India issued over 140,000 student visas—the highest for any country—setting a record for the third consecutive year. The US Mission in India also processed a record 1.4 million visas that year.