By Leila Gharagozlou, NBC News: Mehran founded a software development company at the age of 22 and within two years had 20 employees. It was a success, but one day he realized he wanted more: he wanted a graduate degree in software engineering.
With some work and perseverance, he eventually won a scholarship to get his doctorate at a prestigious American university. He transferred his stock to family members, put in place a substitute chief executive, sold his apartment, and began the process of getting a visa.
Finally, two months later, he was granted permission to study in the United States and on Sept. 6, he headed to the airport. But Mehran, 24, never made it onto the flight — his visa had been revoked and he was turned away at check-in.
Now in limbo, Mehran does not know whether to apply for another visa or try and go back to his old life.
"The problem is, I don't know what to do in these months,” he said from Tehran via the encrypted messaging app Telegram. “Every single day, I lose lots of opportunities. With the uncertainty, I can't even apply for other countries."
Mehran is one of 20 Iranian students NBC News has identified who were barred from boarding flights to the U.S. during September, despite having the necessary paperwork.
The students who spoke to NBC News requested that only their first names be used, fearing that speaking out would affect their reapplication process. They all attended the prestigious Sharif and Tehran universities and were headed to Stanford University, Northwestern University and the University of California, among other institutions.
This small handful of Iranians, who represent a huge jump in the number of students whose visas have been revoked, are casualties of President Donald Trump’s hardening stance toward Tehran.
Since President Trump imposed a travel ban and pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, relations between the two countries have soured dramatically.
Officially, students are exempt from the ban.
However, the tighter policies have led to a decline in visa issuances to Iranians. There are about 12,000 Iranian students in the U.S. based on data from the Institute of International Education. But the number of Iranian student visas halved from 3,139 visas in 2016 to 1,643 in 2018, according to the U.S. State Department.
A spokesperson for the State Department said denied there had been a policy change when it came to issuing visas to Iranian students.
“International students are a priority for the Department of State, and we continue to welcome legitimate student visa applicants," a State Department official said. Customs and Border Protection also denied there had been “changes to their policy on Iranian travelers with valid visas.”
Since President Trump imposed a travel ban and pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, relations between the two countries have soured dramatically.
Officially, students are exempt from the ban. However,
The tighter policies have led to a decline in visa issuances to Iranians. There are about 12,000 Iranian students in the U.S. based on data from the Institute of International Education. But the number of Iranian student visas halved from 3,139 visas in 2016 to 1,643 in 2018, according to the U.S. State Department.
A spokesperson for the State Department said denied there had been a policy change when it came to issuing visas to Iranian students.
“International students are a priority for the Department of State, and we continue to welcome legitimate student visa applicants," a State Department official said. Customs and Border Protection also denied there had been “changes to their policy on Iranian travelers with valid visas.”
Pargar Holding, a company that helps Iranian students through the admissions and visa process, said that in the five years it has been operating, it has not not seen anywhere close to that number affected.
“Visa revocations are rare cases, impacting maybe one or two students a year,” Morteza Alizadeh, a director at the firm, says.
The Iranians had been approved for single entry student visas, by U.S. embassies in Turkey and Armenia. (Iran and the U.S. do not have diplomatic relations, so consular affairs have to be dealt with via third-party countries.)
When they checked at the end of August, they saw that their Consular Electronic Application Center accounts were updated and their visas were still marked as issued.
The single entry visa meant they’d be gone for five years — a big but worthwhile sacrifice for Sepideh, 26, a computer scientist who planned to go to the U.S. for her doctorate. Once at the airport, however, airline personnel turned her away and told her to contact the U.S. embassy.
"As I write this, I still don't know what I have done, what the issue is," Sina, 26, said. He was headed to the University of California, Irvine, for a doctorate inengineering. "I ranked first in my masters in the whole department. I had offers which I rejected, so I could come to the U.S. I believed it would be better for my career. I never dreamed that this would happen."
Saaqi, 25, an engineering doctoral candidate also accepted to UC Irvine, had already signed up for classes. "My life is a complete blank. I don't have a plan B," she said.
Mohammad-Ali, 27, says he’s depressed and is rethinking his goals.
"I came back to the dilemma of abandoning my family, aiming high, versus having a more emotionally rich life," he wrote.
All the students got the same emails from their respective embassies: "Unfortunately, we do not have any information to share about your visa status."
The American Embassy in Yerevan, Armenia, emailed this message to Mohammad-Ali, who shared it with NBC News.
Those who could afford to, like Sepideh, went back to the embassies only to be told the process would have to restart. Mohammad-Ali says the concern is that the "CANCELLED" stamp in their passports is a black mark, possibly affecting future visa applications. Mehran was refused within two weeks of his reapplication Sept. 27. The visa process is a financial strain that can cost up to $5,000.
Iranians planning for visas save for years. The average income of a middle-class family in Tehran is around $1,000 a month, but with sanctions $1,000 has little value. Mohammad-Ali says he was making $300 a month as a top engineer. This process has cost him a fortune. Students trying to cut costs take a 26-hour bus ride to Armenia or move in with family.
Many know the risks involved in trying to study in the U.S., but none expected this.
"It feels like there is a ban against us," Ali said.
Mohammad, 25, a doctoral candidate at the University of Texas, is still waiting for approval, and says he cannot afford a second attempt. Saving for the first visa took years, he says. Now, he has lost his place in the program, his professor saying the visa system is too uncertain.
Some students believe their situation is political, that their biggest hurdle is nationality.
"Of course it’s political,” Mohammad said. ” We’re targeted because we are Iranian, because of my nationality. Something I cannot help. I am losing opportunities just because I was born here, that is so hard to endure.”
Amin Khorram, a doctoral student, says he was deported from Boston Logan International Airport after hours of questioning and had his luggage and electronics searched with no explanation. Now, he is unable to reapply for a new visa and says he has lost all hope of returning to school.
In the search for answers, some have reached out to schools and lawmakers. Peyman, headed to the University of California San Diego, has written to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D- Calif., in a bid for help.
Officials at the University of California say they are aware of the issue.
“We are doing everything we can for these students, including working with the U.S. State Department, U.S Customs, and Border Protection and Capitol Hill to seek answers,” a spokesman wrote to NBC News.
“UC has a deep commitment to providing a world-class education to all our international students. Once they are enrolled at UC, we do everything possible to assist with their safe and timely arrival on campus, as well as to support them throughout their studies at the university."
First published in NBC News.
Leila Gharagozlou is a producer @UPonMSNBCFormerly @CNBC@Business@CNN@ABC
Bill Gates left Harvard in his sophomore year to become the richest man in the world.
Mehran transferred his wealth to his family members because under the rule of the Islamic Republic you cannot own anything in Iran, if you become a permanent resident or a citizen of another country.
P.S.
As things are, Iranians are terrorists until proven otherwise.
This is commonly called "Racial profiling". Majority of Americans support racial profiling in the airports according to the poll.
For further information please read my blog:
https://iroon.com/irtn/blog/13753/racial-profiling/
I think we are dealing with two separate issues here.
It is one thing to be issued a visa based on whatever documents presented and evaluating your qualifications , but the most important thing, and something many iranians do not realize is that The same authority who issued your visa has the right to take the "priviledge" back from you. People do not realize this important fact. Getting a visa is a priviledge not a right.
You are not done being processed until the moment you actually leave the port of entry / airport, so they have got to be ready for all kinds of surprises. I doubt being Iranian per se has anything to do with it. Many other students got visas and landed successfully!
The rush to leave iran and starting a new life is so overwhelming, people tend to forget the basic rules.
Hey dude,
You must've missed the following article. Read it carefully, please. LOL
What friends?
This is in response to “How to make enemies” by Saeid Bozorgui-Nesbat in which he shared his friend's story and the way he was treated by the U.S. Homeland Security officers. After the usual grumbling about the U.S. policies and chastising the U.S. government, he, as is common among many Iranians, mixed this incident with issues such as Hamas in Palestine and the infamous prison in Iraq and a few others that somehow he believes are all related to his friend's misfortune.
While at it, Nesbat could have at least said something about the rights and the misfortune of the common criminals as well. But that does not seem to bother him at all. Who cares about such mundane issues when the highly respectable alumni of Sharif University are in trouble. In my view, many of the issues he has raised are irrelavent to this incident and should have been avoided. I would rather stick to what concerns his friend, Mohammad, and other Iranians who were not allowed to enter the U.S.
Here I am not trying to belittle or ignore any of the issues Nesbat mentions. After reading his letter carefully, however, I have this feeling that he simply does not care about these problems. He only uses them to add some weight to his facile argument. Now, let's see where the real problem lies. U.S. embassies and consulates issue about seventy-three types of visas to citizens of other countries. B1/B2-visitor for business and pleasure- visa is one of them.
If we consider B1 and B2 separately then the number gets much larger. The Department of Homeland Security has a very comprehensive website explaining all the details related to such visas. There are also contact numbers that you can call and talk to an agent in case of emergencies or send faxes and ask questions concerning how to get a visa or other related issues. There is also a number in Washington, D.C. you can call. If Nesbat or other interested individuals could download the website, thers is a section titled, “Coming to America-Getting Your Visitors Visa.”
In that section under the part that says, “What is a visa?” you can read the following paragraph:
“The visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a port-of-entry in the United States, such as a(n) international airport, a seaport or a land border crossing. At the port-of-entry, an officer of the Department of Homeland Security decides whether to allow you to enter and how long you can stay.”
This is very clear and to the point. Obtaining a visa does not automatically guarantee entry into the United States. As far as I know, most other countries have the same regulation in regard to visas issued by their respective consulates and embassies.
Also looking at question number 35 of the Nonimmigrant Visa Application form provided on the same website you can read, “Has Your U.S. Visa Ever Been Cancelled or Revoked?” This question implies that it is possible for a visa to be revoked after it has been issued by a consulate or an embassy. Without any precedents, there would be no need for this question.
It might prove comforting to read the U.S. Homeland Security Website and find out that the regulations which are in there are not aimed at humiliating Iranians. They concern citizens of all other countries as well.
Having lived in the U.S. for some time and, as his letter indicates, becoming a nturalized citizen of the United States, Nesbat must have realized by now that whether one is a member of the elite of a country or a financially deprived citizen of a poor country coming to the U.S. in search of better livelihood, they should be treated equally and by the same law. No individual should stand above the law merely based on his social status. Perhaps Nesbat, in his zeal to solicit sympathy for his friend, has forgotten that even some heads of states need to apply for visas before coming to the U.S.
Also I would like to remind Nesbat of the fact that the world is glutted with highly educated people who cannot find the jobs they like. I am saying this because Nesbat seems to be under this culturally misplaced and anachronous impression that somehow the alumni of Sharif university deserve special treatment because they are, as he calls them, “cream of the crop.” Had Nesbat bothered to take a look at number 41 of the Nonimmigrant Visa Application, perhaps he would not have been as enraged as he seems to be. Number 41 in the application is where the applicant puts his signature and is extremely important. It reads as follows:
“I certify that I have read and understood all the questions set forth in this application and the answers I have furnished on this form are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that any false or misleading statement may result in the permanent refusal of a visa or denial of entry into the United States. I understand that possession of a visa does not automatically entitle the bearer to enter the United States of America upon arrival at a port of entry if he or she is found inadmissible.”
Applicants read the above statement and sign the application bearing in mind that giving any false information may entail unpleasant consequences. It is self-explanatory and anyone reading it can understand its significance. The fact that the final decision is made at the port of entry is also clearly stated. Cultural or individual differences may cause misreading of the laws and regulations of other countries, however, having this statement at the end of the application should be taken seriously.
Right or wrong, Iranians who were refused entry into the U.S. must have been deemed undesirable or a threat to the security of Americans. Every government has the right to protect its citizens the way they know best. Being treated as a criminal is understandable in a situation where an individual has been found to have given false or misleading information to the authorities. This is for the Department of Homeland Security to decide.
Watching from the sidelines uninformed and out of touch with the realities of the exceedingly strained situation at hand, it would only be unwise to ground one's judgement on sheer emotional attachment to someone or something. If I am not mistaken, fingerprinting of Iranian citizens is nothing new. I believe it started in 1996. Later, and after 9/11 citizens of other countries were required to undergo fingerprinting and have their mug shots taken.
As Nesbat has, correctly, poited out in his letter, the Homeland Security officers who handcuffed the Iranians and took them to jail were doing their job. Most probably, they could not keep them at the airport for security reasons. It has been known that certain individuals, while in custody, have escaped from airports around the world. Keeping about a hundred Iranians and perhaps a bigger number of citizens of other countries at an airport involves great risk that the U.S. government is not willing to take at the moment.
The officers at the airports are given lists of undesirable elements who are not supposed to set foot on the U.S. soil. These undesirable elements may include mobsters, common criminals or the elite of a country. Security officers have to follow orders given to them by their superiors. Dealing with a vast number of cases daily, they are not given much information as to the nature of the intelligence that leads to such decisions. And they are not accountable to those who are refused entry into the U.S.
Nesbat could have tried to be more objective instead of maliciously accusing the U.S. government of purposefully antagonizing Iranians. According to a recent article by an American journalist, in the state of California alone there are more than 600,000 (six hundred thousand) Iranians. In the past twenty-seven years, the U.S. and Canadian authorities have been exceptionally generous toward Iranian citizens who have chosen to call those countries their homes. Their humane immigration and naturalization policies have helped hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers from Iran to build much better lives than they could have back home.
Nesbat wrote something about enticing Iranians to come to the U.S. which I did not fully understand. If by enticing he means giving visas, then he is being audaciously unreasonable. The U.S. government authorities did not go knocking on these people's doors offering them visas and begging them to hold their reunion in California. They were granted visas after they applied for them. Since these individuals seem to be extremely intelligent they should have known getting a visa for a country and entering that country are two separate things. Based on my experience, it is customary for consulates and embassies to give out information regarding important matters including the ones I have mentioned above.
Nesbat seems to be worried about the U.S. losing friends. He should rest assured that his fears are unfounded.
Shahanshahi passport was very powerful. We were well respected around the world during shsh days. Unlike these days that international community look at Iranians like "piece a dirt" and trouble makers or terrorist, we were highly respected during shah days. Shah brought us dignity, pride, and international prestige. Never, ever such a tragedy for Iranian students happened when our shahanshah was in power. Our racial profiling changed once shah left the country in a cold winter day. Since then we were looked down at airports and anywhere we were walked in. However, our racial profiling will be changed once we topple these Islamic criminals from power in Iran.
GOAL : RESTORING MONARCHY
I think I know what the problem is, since Iranian people cannot get U.S visa any more (apart from islamists of all flavors) I believe he needs to go back and brush up on his Islamic credentials. Perhaps he cans a get a gig as assistant to an assistant to an assistant of ambassador to Europe somewhere and then after a tour of Europe he will be issued a visa!
"The students who spoke to NBC News requested that only their first names be used, fearing that speaking out would affect their reapplication process." From the article above
Perhaps they should wait until after 2024 presidential election when the second Muslim president occupies the White House.
GR
Nice Write Up GR. Pretty factual and downright accurate. Wish many people would have taken these minute and tiny points into consideration.
Hey AR,
Thanks for the compliment. The piece needs editing. LOL
The author of the piece above was given an assignment she was not prepared for.
Why don't these Iranian students apply to European universities or universities elsewhere?