Afghan students at Jawaharlal Nehru University fear to go back, seek visa extension

Taliban fighters stand guard inside the city of Ghazni, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan. Pic/AFP

About 22 students from Afghanistan studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) are not willing to go back to their country and want to extend their visas through academic courses.

Afghan students are worried about their stay in India as their visa tenure is about to expire within months.

The visa limit for most of these foreign students is getting over by the month of December this year, however, with the situation in Afghanistan turning volatile, no one wants to go back and they want to extend their visa through academic courses such as a PhD, sources said.

"For a war-torn country like Afghanistan, most of the people are extensively unemployed and trying to escape from either death or captivity. Arranging a 'hefty fee' seems impossible." said Afghan students in JNU while talking to ANI.

Terminal students have to leave the hostel by September 23, which is making them unsure of accommodation with narrow financial capacity.

Also read: Afghan officials say Taliban enter capital, Kabul

Jalaluddin, a JNU student told, "Situation is extremely critical there. I am hoping that the administration will understand our situation and extend my visa permit. Also, PhD in JNU is highly expensive for foreign nationals, and for poor families that are certainly not the possible way out. However, at present, I really don't know what to do."

If a student visa expires, one cannot work or study until a new permit is given. Also while extending a visa, one must be sure that his/her passport does not expire at the same time. The study permit cannot be extended beyond the passport's expiry date, said sources.

Shafiq Sultan, a student of International Relations and Area studies in JNU told, "My visa will get over by December 31. I was a government employee before I came here to study. I am sure if I go back they will capture me. My family is staying in the area captured by the Taliban and I am unable to contact them for the last one and a half weeks. The tension is scaling up, we definitely need help."

Ali Asghar, an Afghan student at JNU, said that his visa tenure will expire within three months. He stated, "I spoke with my father a week ago, he told me my family is escaping to another area because the Taliban may take control over our city. They do not want me to come back but the fee structure for foreign students is extremely high which we cannot bear without family's support. However, my family is completely unemployed."

JNU administration released a press note on August 14 stating "Some Afghan students of JNU have requested the JNU administration to facilitate their return to the Campus. As the University has remained closed as per the latest Circular issued by the DDMA, Govt. of NCT, Delhi, this matter is currently being looked into."

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