Indian students suffered after there was a massive drop in the number of visas issued by the United States in 2017, dropping by 28 per cent.&nbsp;

As per reports, the total number of F-1 student visas issued to international students plummeted by 17 per cent from 417,728 in 2016 to 393,573. Indians accounted for the largest drop - from 65,257 in 2016 to 47,302 in 2017.

Other than that, the number of visas issued to students from China dropped by 24 per cent. Excluding China, the overall number fell by 13 per cent.

In China, a 2014 change in visa policy allows Chinese students to obtain an F-1 visa for a five-year period instead of one, freeing them from having to renew their visa each year. This could be the primary factor to the recent declines, reports said.&nbsp;

India and China have the maximum number of students studying in the US followed by South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Canada.

The massive decline in the number of international student visas has left some of America&#39;s top universities and schools in a bit of a toss. Some officials hold the Trump administration responsible for the move.&nbsp;

The drop&nbsp;in the&nbsp;number of visas issued&nbsp;to international students can be bad news for schools that have large international student populations. Nearly 20 per cent of the University of Tulsa&#39;s 4,400 enrolled students hail from overseas.

The decline in the number of foreign students had started before Trump became president - it came down from 644,233 in 2015 to 471,728 in 2016. The significant drop has is a result of high tuition costs and the state of the job market in the US.

Instead, they are going to countries like Canada, Germany and Australia, which are making it easier for international students to stay in the country after they graduate and become part of the workforce.

F-1 visa approvals were trending higher for nearly a decade when they peaked at more than 600,000 in 2015. But they have dropped off dramatically since.

The number of visas issued to students from China dropped by 24%.

Indian students suffered after there was a massive drop in the number of visas issued by the United States in 2017, dropping by 28 per cent. As per reports, the total number of F-1 student visas issued to international students plummeted by 17 per cent from 417,728 in 2016 to 393,573. Indians accounted for the largest drop - from 65,257 in 2016 to 47,302 in 2017. Other than that, the number of visas issued to students from China dropped by 24 per cent. Excluding China, the overall number fell by 13 per cent. In China, a 2014 change in visa policy allows Chinese students to obtain an F-1 visa for a five-year period instead of one, freeing them from having to renew their visa each year. This could be the primary factor to the recent declines, reports said. India and China have the maximum number of students studying in the US followed by South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Canada. The massive decline in the number of international student visas has left some of America's top universities and schools in a bit of a toss. Some officials hold the Trump administration responsible for the move. The drop in the number of visas issued to international students can be bad news for schools that have large international student populations. Nearly 20 per cent of the University of Tulsa's 4,400 enrolled students hail from overseas. The decline in the number of foreign students had started before Trump became president - it came down from 644,233 in 2015 to 471,728 in 2016. The significant drop has is a result of high tuition costs and the state of the job market in the US. Instead, they are going to countries like Canada, Germany and Australia, which are making it easier for international students to stay in the country after they graduate and become part of the workforce. F-1 visa approvals were trending higher for nearly a decade when they peaked at more than 600,000 in 2015. But they have dropped off dramatically since.

28 per cent drop in US student visas to Indians in 2017

Only six per cent of the total available green cards in 2016 went to employment-based categories, according to a report of the ruling Republican Party which notes that Indian skilled workers have more than 10 years of waitlist. 
 
The report said as of November 2017, around 112,000 people were on waitlists for all employment-based green cards combined. 
 
It said that only six per cent of the green cards were issued by employment-based categories in 2016. 
 
Amidst a heated immigration debate, the party&#39;s report said that in 2016, the US granted around 140,000 employment- based green cards, which was approximately 12 per cent of total green cards issued that year. 
 
It said about five times as many people were awarded temporary employment-based visas like H-1B that expire after a period of time. 
 
In 2016, the report said the US issued almost 1.2 million green cards, granting immigrants legal permanent residence and the opportunity to apply for citizenship in the future. 
 
Around 800,000 green cards close to 70 per cent of the total went to people immigrating to the US based on having relatives here. 
 
In contrast, about 140,000 green cards less than 12 per cent were issued to immigrants for employment reasons, based on their skills, experience, education and on the needs of US employers. 
 
Of these 140,000 employment-based green cards, more than half went to the spouses and children of the primary applicants. 
 
&quot;So, the number of green cards issued to people directly based on skills, experience, and education and on the needs of US employers is closer to 6 per cent of the overall total,&quot; the report said. 
 
More than 80 per cent of all employment-based green cards were issued to people already in the country who were changing from a temporary visa to permanent residence a process call &quot;adjustment of status&quot;, it said. 
 
The Immigration Nationality Act (INA) limits nationals of any single country to 7 per cent of all family and employment-based green cards issued annually. 
 
Immigrants who get an employment-based green card may bring their spouses and minor children to the US. 
 
These &quot;derivative&quot; entrants count against the green card limits. When an employment-based green card preference is oversubscribed, prospective immigrants are put on a waitlist, it said. 
 
&quot;As of November 2017, there were around 112,000 people on the waitlists for all employment-based green cards combined. Even if a preference category is not oversubscribed, nationals of some countries may face a wait because of the 7 per cent per-country limit,&quot; the report said. 
 
&quot;This limit affects people from countries that send a lot of people to the US such as China, India, and the Philippines. For instance, although there is no waitlist generally for EB-3 visas, the wait for EB-3 applicants from India is more than 10 years,&quot; it said. 
 
Noting that some recent reform proposals have centered on making the US immigration system more &quot;merit-based&quot;, the report said many of these proposals would place more emphasis on providing for employment-based immigration and less on granting family-based and diversity-immigrant visas. 
 
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides five major categories known as &quot;preferences&quot; of green cards for people to immigrate to the US for employment reasons. These are EB-1 to EB-5. 
 
EB-1 visas are green cards for people with &quot;extraordinary&quot; abilities that have &quot;been demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim&quot;, &quot;outstanding&quot; professors and researchers who are &quot;recognised internationally as outstanding in a specific academic area&quot; and multinational executives. 
 
About 40,000 EB-1 visas are available each year. 
 
EB-2 category provides around 40,000 green cards annually to professionals such as architects, lawyers, doctors, teachers and engineers with advanced degrees. 
 
The category also includes immigrants &quot;who because of their exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business&quot; will &quot;substantially benefit&quot; the &quot;economy, cultural or educational interests, or welfare&quot; of the United States. 
 
EB-3 visas are for skilled and unskilled workers providing services that are not available from US workers, and for professionals such as engineers and teachers who do not have advanced degrees. 
 
Most of the Indian skilled immigrants apply for green cards in this category, thus the reason for their long agonising wait. 
 
Every year, the US issues about 10,000 green cards under EB-4 visas category, which are available for people such as religious workers, broadcasters, members of the armed services and Afghani and Iraqi translators. 
 
There are around 10,000 green cards available for immigrants under EB-5 category who invest at least &nbsp;$500,000 in certain US businesses. 
 
In addition to the employment-based green card programmes that allow people to live permanently in the US, there are around 20 visa programmes that allow people to live temporarily in the US for employment reasons. 
 
Some of the better-known categories of these temporary employment-based visas include H-2A visas for temporary or seasonal agriculture workers and H-2B visas for temporary or seasonal non-agricultural workers like hotel employees in seasonal tourist destinations. 
 
&quot;Another significant category is H-1B visas for workers in occupations requiring the application of highly specialised knowledge, such as information technology and engineering,&quot; the report said. 
 
&quot;In 2016, about 530,000 people got H-1B, H-2A, and H-2B visas, including spouses and children. There were more than 750,000 temporary employee-based visas issued across all categories,&quot; the report said.

The report said as of November 2017, around 112,000 people were on waitlists for all employment-based green cards combined

Only six per cent of the total available green cards in 2016 went to employment-based categories, according to a report of the ruling Republican Party which notes that Indian skilled workers have more than 10 years of waitlist. The report said as of November 2017, around 112,000 people were on waitlists for all employment-based green cards combined. It said that only six per cent of the green cards were issued by employment-based categories in 2016. Amidst a heated immigration debate, the party's report said that in 2016, the US granted around 140,000 employment- based green cards, which was approximately 12 per cent of total green cards issued that year. It said about five times as many people were awarded temporary employment-based visas like H-1B that expire after a period of time. In 2016, the report said the US issued almost 1.2 million green cards, granting immigrants legal permanent residence and the opportunity to apply for citizenship in the future. Around 800,000 green cards close to 70 per cent of the total went to people immigrating to the US based on having relatives here. In contrast, about 140,000 green cards less than 12 per cent were issued to immigrants for employment reasons, based on their skills, experience, education and on the needs of US employers. Of these 140,000 employment-based green cards, more than half went to the spouses and children of the primary applicants. "So, the number of green cards issued to people directly based on skills, experience, and education and on the needs of US employers is closer to 6 per cent of the overall total," the report said. More than 80 per cent of all employment-based green cards were issued to people already in the country who were changing from a temporary visa to permanent residence a process call "adjustment of status", it said. The Immigration Nationality Act (INA) limits nationals of any single country to 7 per cent of all family and employment-based green cards issued annually. Immigrants who get an employment-based green card may bring their spouses and minor children to the US. These "derivative" entrants count against the green card limits. When an employment-based green card preference is oversubscribed, prospective immigrants are put on a waitlist, it said. "As of November 2017, there were around 112,000 people on the waitlists for all employment-based green cards combined. Even if a preference category is not oversubscribed, nationals of some countries may face a wait because of the 7 per cent per-country limit," the report said. "This limit affects people from countries that send a lot of people to the US such as China, India, and the Philippines. For instance, although there is no waitlist generally for EB-3 visas, the wait for EB-3 applicants from India is more than 10 years," it said. Noting that some recent reform proposals have centered on making the US immigration system more "merit-based", the report said many of these proposals would place more emphasis on providing for employment-based immigration and less on granting family-based and diversity-immigrant visas. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides five major categories known as "preferences" of green cards for people to immigrate to the US for employment reasons. These are EB-1 to EB-5. EB-1 visas are green cards for people with "extraordinary" abilities that have "been demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim", "outstanding" professors and researchers who are "recognised internationally as outstanding in a specific academic area" and multinational executives. About 40,000 EB-1 visas are available each year. EB-2 category provides around 40,000 green cards annually to professionals such as architects, lawyers, doctors, teachers and engineers with advanced degrees. The category also includes immigrants "who because of their exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business" will "substantially benefit" the "economy, cultural or educational interests, or welfare" of the United States. EB-3 visas are for skilled and unskilled workers providing services that are not available from US workers, and for professionals such as engineers and teachers who do not have advanced degrees. Most of the Indian skilled immigrants apply for green cards in this category, thus the reason for their long agonising wait. Every year, the US issues about 10,000 green cards under EB-4 visas category, which are available for people such as religious workers, broadcasters, members of the armed services and Afghani and Iraqi translators. There are around 10,000 green cards available for immigrants under EB-5 category who invest at least $500,000 in certain US businesses. In addition to the employment-based green card programmes that allow people to live permanently in the US, there are around 20 visa programmes that allow people to live temporarily in the US for employment reasons. Some of the better-known categories of these temporary employment-based visas include H-2A visas for temporary or seasonal agriculture workers and H-2B visas for temporary or seasonal non-agricultural workers like hotel employees in seasonal tourist destinations. "Another significant category is H-1B visas for workers in occupations requiring the application of highly specialised knowledge, such as information technology and engineering," the report said. "In 2016, about 530,000 people got H-1B, H-2A, and H-2B visas, including spouses and children. There were more than 750,000 temporary employee-based visas issued across all categories," the report said.

Indians on 10-year waitlist for employment-based green cards in US: Report

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said on Friday he would not consider reinstating an immigration program that protected young people from deportation without a commitment from Democrats to help build a wall on the border with Mexico and end certain immigration programs.

The debate on immigration will be a pivotal issue in Washington in early 2018 ahead of midterm congressional elections in November.&nbsp;

In September, Trump ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protected young people from deportation who had been brought to the United States illegally as children and gave Congress until March to devise a long-term solution.&nbsp;

Democrats have pushed for DACA to continue, but Trump, a Republican, has said that will not happen without the end to various visa programs and the construction of a wall along the southern US&nbsp;border.

&quot;The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border and an END to the horrible Chain Migration &amp; ridiculous Lottery System of Immigration etc,&quot; Trump posted on Twitter on Friday.

Representatives for Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said they would not negotiate the issue in the media but looked forward to serious talks after lawmakers return to work in Washington early next month.&nbsp;

The Senate is set to resume its work January&nbsp;3 while the US&nbsp;House of Representatives restarts its session January 8.&nbsp;

Trump promised to build a border wall as a presidential candidate and has continued to press for it publicly.&nbsp;

He has also called for an additional &quot;merit based&quot; assessment for U.S. visa recipients.&nbsp;

The debate on immigration will be a pivotal issue in Washington in early 2018

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he would not consider reinstating an immigration program that protected young people from deportation without a commitment from Democrats to help build a wall on the border with Mexico and end certain immigration programs. The debate on immigration will be a pivotal issue in Washington in early 2018 ahead of midterm congressional elections in November. In September, Trump ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protected young people from deportation who had been brought to the United States illegally as children and gave Congress until March to devise a long-term solution. Democrats have pushed for DACA to continue, but Trump, a Republican, has said that will not happen without the end to various visa programs and the construction of a wall along the southern US border. "The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border and an END to the horrible Chain Migration & ridiculous Lottery System of Immigration etc," Trump posted on Twitter on Friday. Representatives for Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said they would not negotiate the issue in the media but looked forward to serious talks after lawmakers return to work in Washington early next month. The Senate is set to resume its work January 3 while the US House of Representatives restarts its session January 8. Trump promised to build a border wall as a presidential candidate and has continued to press for it publicly. He has also called for an additional "merit based" assessment for U.S. visa recipients.

Trump demands border wall, visa changes as part of immigration fix

While people across the world brace up for more stringent visa norms in the coming year, the UK is likely to relax its immigration policy in 2018.&nbsp;

The UK is all set to introduce a new set of immigration rules which includes granting work visas to international students with more flexibility.

The regulation will come into effect from January 11, 2018.&nbsp;

According to reports, foreign students in the UK will now be able to apply for the tier-2 visa or skilled worker visa soon after completing their course.

The current regulation allows students to apply for a work visa only after they have obtained their degree.&nbsp;

Students with tier-4 or study visa will now be able to stay longer in the United Kingdom for up to 16 months.

Usually, by the time the students receive their degrees, their student visas expire.&nbsp;

The move followed discussions between the UK government and various universities in the country.

The regulation will come into effect from January 11, 2018.?

While people across the world brace up for more stringent visa norms in the coming year, the UK is likely to relax its immigration policy in 2018. The UK is all set to introduce a new set of immigration rules which includes granting work visas to international students with more flexibility. The regulation will come into effect from January 11, 2018. According to reports, foreign students in the UK will now be able to apply for the tier-2 visa or skilled worker visa soon after completing their course. The current regulation allows students to apply for a work visa only after they have obtained their degree. Students with tier-4 or study visa will now be able to stay longer in the United Kingdom for up to 16 months. Usually, by the time the students receive their degrees, their student visas expire. The move followed discussions between the UK government and various universities in the country.

UK to roll out new immigration policy in 2018

The Trump administration put new requirements in place on Friday for the 38 countries participating in the US Visa Waiver Program, including that they use US counterterrorism data to screen travellers, officials said.

The program allows citizens of mainly European countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa. Citizens from the 38 countries are required to obtain a so-called travel authorization to enter the United States.

President Donald Trump has sought to tighten the rules for those seeking to visit or live in the United States in several ways, saying restrictions are necessary for security reasons.

The changes will apply to all countries in the program. One change is that they will be required to use US information to screen travelers crossing their borders from third countries. Many countries in the program already do that, one administration official said.

Countries whose citizens stay longer than authorised during visits to the United States at a relatively higher rate will be required to conduct public awareness campaigns on the consequences of overstays, the officials said. One existing penalty is that people who overstay a visit may not travel visa-free to the United States in the future.

The threshold for the overstay rate triggering the public information campaign requirement is two percent, the officials said. In the 2016 fiscal year, of the VWP countries, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, and San Marino, a wealthy enclave landlocked inside central Italy, had total overstay rates higher than two percent, according to a report by the Department of Homeland Security.

The overall overstay rate for VWP countries is 0.68 per cent, lower than non-VWP countries excluding Canada and Mexico, which is at 2.07 per cent, according to the DHS report.

Members of Congress have expressed concern about the security risks of overstays. A May 2017 report by the DHS inspector general found the department lacked a comprehensive system to gather information on departing visitors, forcing it to rely on third-party data to confirm departures, which is sometimes faulty.

The United States will also start assessing VWP countries on their safeguards against &quot;insider threats&quot; at their airports, especially those with direct flights to the United States, officials said.

The goal is to ensure countries &quot;make sure that airport employees, aviation workers et cetera, aren`t corrupted or are co-opted to pose a threat to aircraft, especially those that are US-bound,&quot; an official said.

The Trump administration put new requirements in place on Friday for the 38 countries participating in the US Visa Waiver Program, including that they use US counterterrorism data to screen travellers, officials said

The Trump administration put new requirements in place on Friday for the 38 countries participating in the US Visa Waiver Program, including that they use US counterterrorism data to screen travellers, officials said. The program allows citizens of mainly European countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa. Citizens from the 38 countries are required to obtain a so-called travel authorization to enter the United States. President Donald Trump has sought to tighten the rules for those seeking to visit or live in the United States in several ways, saying restrictions are necessary for security reasons. The changes will apply to all countries in the program. One change is that they will be required to use US information to screen travelers crossing their borders from third countries. Many countries in the program already do that, one administration official said. Countries whose citizens stay longer than authorised during visits to the United States at a relatively higher rate will be required to conduct public awareness campaigns on the consequences of overstays, the officials said. One existing penalty is that people who overstay a visit may not travel visa-free to the United States in the future. The threshold for the overstay rate triggering the public information campaign requirement is two percent, the officials said. In the 2016 fiscal year, of the VWP countries, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, and San Marino, a wealthy enclave landlocked inside central Italy, had total overstay rates higher than two percent, according to a report by the Department of Homeland Security. The overall overstay rate for VWP countries is 0.68 per cent, lower than non-VWP countries excluding Canada and Mexico, which is at 2.07 per cent, according to the DHS report. Members of Congress have expressed concern about the security risks of overstays. A May 2017 report by the DHS inspector general found the department lacked a comprehensive system to gather information on departing visitors, forcing it to rely on third-party data to confirm departures, which is sometimes faulty. The United States will also start assessing VWP countries on their safeguards against "insider threats" at their airports, especially those with direct flights to the United States, officials said. The goal is to ensure countries "make sure that airport employees, aviation workers et cetera, aren`t corrupted or are co-opted to pose a threat to aircraft, especially those that are US-bound," an official said.

Trump administration issues new rules on US visa waivers

The United States and Turkey&nbsp;on Sunday&nbsp;scaled back visa issuing services in each other&#39;s countries in a deepening diplomatic row sparked by the arrest of a Turkish staffer at the American mission in Istanbul.

The American embassy in Ankara said that &quot;recent events&quot; forced the US government to reassess Turkey&#39;s &quot;commitment&quot; to the security of US mission services and personnel in the country.

In order to minimise the number of visitors while the assessment is carried out, &quot;effective immediately we have suspended all non-immigrant visa services at all US diplomatic facilities in Turkey,&quot; it said.

Non-immigrant visas are issued to all those travelling to the United States for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study. Immigrant visa services are only for those seeking to live in the US permanently.

Turkey responded by suspending &quot;all visa services&quot; for Americans in the US, saying the measures also apply to visas issued online and at the border.

In an apparent attempt to mock the US announcement, the Turkish embassy in Washington issued two statements that were almost word-for-word copies of that from the American embassy in Ankara.

&#39;Deeply disturbed&#39;

The statements said concerns over US commitment to the security of Turkish diplomatic facilities and personnel necessitated the restrictions, but the fact that they only apply to Americans and also include visas issued at the border and online indicate the move is punitive rather than security-based.

The first statement from the Turkish embassy said the restrictions apply to &quot;visas in passports&quot; while the second replaced that wording with &quot;sticker visas&quot;. It was unclear if that meant that visas already stamped in passports would not be accepted.

Beyond its mention of &quot;recent events&quot;, the American embassy statement made no explicit mention of the arrest by Turkish authorities of a local Turkish staffer working at the US consulate in Istanbul.

The employee was remanded in custody by an Istanbul court late&nbsp;Wednesday&nbsp;on accusations of links to the group of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for last year&#39;s failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The staffer has been formally charged with espionage and seeking to overthrow the Turkish government.

The US embassy&nbsp;on Thursday&nbsp;said it was &quot;deeply disturbed&quot; over the arrest and rejected the allegations against the employee as &quot;wholly without merit&quot;.

It also condemned leaks in the local press which it said came from Turkish government sources that were &quot;seemingly aimed at trying the employee in the media rather than a court of law&quot;.

But Erdogan&#39;s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has defended the arrest, saying &quot;there must be serious evidence&quot; and pointing to a phone call made from the Istanbul consulate to a key suspect on the night of the coup.

&#39;Scandalous decision&#39;

For Soner Cagaptay, Director of the Turkish Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in Washington DC, the situation signifies the unfolding of an historic crisis in US-Turkey relations.

&quot;The idea is that this step would convince the Turkish elites to persuade Erdogan to stop harassing US citizens in Turkey -- I think Erdogan will do the opposite and escalate,&quot; he told AFP.&nbsp;

The pro-government Yeni Safak daily described it as &quot;a scandalous decision from the United States&quot;.

Turkish officials had expressed hope of a new page in Ankara-Washington relations under President Donald Trump.

Turkey has pressed Washington for the extradition of Pennsylvania-based Gulen, who denies any link to the coup bid -- but the lack of movement on the issue has further strained ties.

Meanwhile, members of Erdogan&#39;s security detail were indicted by US authorities after clashes with protesters during an official visit this year, infuriating the Turkish president.

American pastor Andrew Brunson, who ran a church in the western city of Izmir, has been held by Turkish authorities since October 2016 on charges of being a member of Gulen&#39;s group.

Erdogan suggested last month that Turkey could release him in exchange for Gulen but Washington showed little interest in the proposal.

The diplomatic row was sparked by the arrest of a Turkish staffer at the American mission in Istanbul

The United States and Turkey on Sunday scaled back visa issuing services in each other's countries in a deepening diplomatic row sparked by the arrest of a Turkish staffer at the American mission in Istanbul. The American embassy in Ankara said that "recent events" forced the US government to reassess Turkey's "commitment" to the security of US mission services and personnel in the country. In order to minimise the number of visitors while the assessment is carried out, "effective immediately we have suspended all non-immigrant visa services at all US diplomatic facilities in Turkey," it said. Non-immigrant visas are issued to all those travelling to the United States for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study. Immigrant visa services are only for those seeking to live in the US permanently. Turkey responded by suspending "all visa services" for Americans in the US, saying the measures also apply to visas issued online and at the border. In an apparent attempt to mock the US announcement, the Turkish embassy in Washington issued two statements that were almost word-for-word copies of that from the American embassy in Ankara. 'Deeply disturbed' The statements said concerns over US commitment to the security of Turkish diplomatic facilities and personnel necessitated the restrictions, but the fact that they only apply to Americans and also include visas issued at the border and online indicate the move is punitive rather than security-based. The first statement from the Turkish embassy said the restrictions apply to "visas in passports" while the second replaced that wording with "sticker visas". It was unclear if that meant that visas already stamped in passports would not be accepted. Beyond its mention of "recent events", the American embassy statement made no explicit mention of the arrest by Turkish authorities of a local Turkish staffer working at the US consulate in Istanbul. The employee was remanded in custody by an Istanbul court late Wednesday on accusations of links to the group of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for last year's failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The staffer has been formally charged with espionage and seeking to overthrow the Turkish government. The US embassy on Thursday said it was "deeply disturbed" over the arrest and rejected the allegations against the employee as "wholly without merit". It also condemned leaks in the local press which it said came from Turkish government sources that were "seemingly aimed at trying the employee in the media rather than a court of law". But Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has defended the arrest, saying "there must be serious evidence" and pointing to a phone call made from the Istanbul consulate to a key suspect on the night of the coup. 'Scandalous decision' For Soner Cagaptay, Director of the Turkish Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in Washington DC, the situation signifies the unfolding of an historic crisis in US-Turkey relations. "The idea is that this step would convince the Turkish elites to persuade Erdogan to stop harassing US citizens in Turkey -- I think Erdogan will do the opposite and escalate," he told AFP. The pro-government Yeni Safak daily described it as "a scandalous decision from the United States". Turkish officials had expressed hope of a new page in Ankara-Washington relations under President Donald Trump. Turkey has pressed Washington for the extradition of Pennsylvania-based Gulen, who denies any link to the coup bid -- but the lack of movement on the issue has further strained ties. Meanwhile, members of Erdogan's security detail were indicted by US authorities after clashes with protesters during an official visit this year, infuriating the Turkish president. American pastor Andrew Brunson, who ran a church in the western city of Izmir, has been held by Turkish authorities since October 2016 on charges of being a member of Gulen's group. Erdogan suggested last month that Turkey could release him in exchange for Gulen but Washington showed little interest in the proposal.

US, Turkey suspend visa services in escalating row

In recent years, offering citizenship or permanent residencies has grown to become a lucrative business opportunity for countries. With more and more countries joining the list of those that offer immediate citizenship, people have a chance at moving beyond borders, more than a tourist.

Here is a list of countries that sell their citizenship, if you have the money to buy it:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/listicle%20table-20161019092156.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Countries and their citizenship program (Table) (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<ul>
	<li>Bulgaria</li>
</ul>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_par2322860-20161019095222.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
A pedestrian walks past a puddle near a tree decorated with Christmas lights in Sofia, Bulgaria (AFP)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Allows: Visa-free travel to 153 countries 
The country ties up your cash for 5 years interest free. It will take two years to get the passport and you will be required to visit Bulgaria twice. Residence is granted only after a clean background check. Bulgaria is only one of two countries where the principal amount can be returned to you.

<ul>
	<li>Hungary</li>
</ul>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/hungary-20161019111702.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Sz&eacute;chenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Allows: Visa-free travel to 152 countries 
It has one of the fastest application processes, which can be completed within 30 days. It is a guaranteed investment plan that can be returned after 5 years. The passport gives free movement throughout Europe&#39;s Schengen zone.

<ul>
	<li>St. Lucia</li>
</ul>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/lucia-20161019095834.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
St Lucia, Caribbean Island (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Allows: Visa-free travel to 121 countries and 180 days in the Schengen area 
Instead of paying the amount, you could also invest $550,000 and get a passport immediately. The capital will be returned in 5 years. &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Cyprus</li>
</ul>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/cyprus-20161019100206.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Paphos castle at night in Cyprus (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Allows: Visa-free travel to 166 countries 
Cyprus is the third smallest nation in the European Union. It started its citizenship program after the country faced a severe economic recession in 2013.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Dominica</li>
</ul>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/dom-20161019101211.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Typical landscape near the sea along the eastern coast of Dominica (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Allows: Visa-free travel to 91 countries 
It is the least expensive of all the passports in this list.

<ul>
	<li>Antigua and Barbuda</li>
</ul>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/ant-20161019101354.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Antigua, Carlisle Bay, Caribbean (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Allows: Visa-free travel to 132 countries

<ul>
	<li>St. Kitts and Nevis</li>
</ul>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/kitts-20161019101715.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
View of St. Kitts from a ship on the coast (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Allows: Visa-free travel to 132 countries, which includes Brazil as the latest addition 
St. Kitts and Nevis recorded the highest number of passport sales in the last year. Just pay the money or invest in property and you will be given a passport without even a visit.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Grenada</li>
</ul>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/grenada-20161019101945.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
Grenada (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Allows: Visa-free travel to 110 countries 
It is the second passport on this list apart from St. Kitts that is not necessarily on everyone&rsquo;s radar and where transaction can be completed in private.

In many nations, foreigners can now purchase citizenship legitimately in return for an investment. There are, however, two forms of residency programs - one that is immediate and one that entails &ldquo;staying for a minimum period of time.&rdquo;&nbsp;The recent spurt&nbsp;in the number of applications&nbsp;for residency in&nbsp;these countries has&nbsp;proven that people are increasingly&nbsp;keen to move and experience a new life in places that might be far removed from their countries of birth. This works well for these host countries too, as the influx of foreign money helps build their infrastructure and economies.&nbsp;

(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Writing one cheque can give you a new identity and visa-free travel to more than 100 countries around the world

In recent years, offering citizenship or permanent residencies has grown to become a lucrative business opportunity for countries. With more and more countries joining the list of those that offer immediate citizenship, people have a chance at moving beyond borders, more than a tourist. Here is a list of countries that sell their citizenship, if you have the money to buy it: Countries and their citizenship program (Table) (WION) × Bulgaria A pedestrian walks past a puddle near a tree decorated with Christmas lights in Sofia, Bulgaria (AFP) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 153 countries The country ties up your cash for 5 years interest free. It will take two years to get the passport and you will be required to visit Bulgaria twice. Residence is granted only after a clean background check. Bulgaria is only one of two countries where the principal amount can be returned to you. Hungary Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 152 countries It has one of the fastest application processes, which can be completed within 30 days. It is a guaranteed investment plan that can be returned after 5 years. The passport gives free movement throughout Europe's Schengen zone. St. Lucia St Lucia, Caribbean Island (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 121 countries and 180 days in the Schengen area Instead of paying the amount, you could also invest $550,000 and get a passport immediately. The capital will be returned in 5 years. Cyprus Paphos castle at night in Cyprus (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 166 countries Cyprus is the third smallest nation in the European Union. It started its citizenship program after the country faced a severe economic recession in 2013. Dominica Typical landscape near the sea along the eastern coast of Dominica (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 91 countries It is the least expensive of all the passports in this list. Antigua and Barbuda Antigua, Carlisle Bay, Caribbean (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 132 countries St. Kitts and Nevis View of St. Kitts from a ship on the coast (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 132 countries, which includes Brazil as the latest addition St. Kitts and Nevis recorded the highest number of passport sales in the last year. Just pay the money or invest in property and you will be given a passport without even a visit. Grenada Grenada (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 110 countries It is the second passport on this list apart from St. Kitts that is not necessarily on everyone’s radar and where transaction can be completed in private. In many nations, foreigners can now purchase citizenship legitimately in return for an investment. There are, however, two forms of residency programs - one that is immediate and one that entails “staying for a minimum period of time.” The recent spurt in the number of applications for residency in these countries has proven that people are increasingly keen to move and experience a new life in places that might be far removed from their countries of birth. This works well for these host countries too, as the influx of foreign money helps build their infrastructure and economies. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

These 8 countries sell their citizenship. Any takers?

Visa Inc, operator of the world&#39;s largest payments network, said on Wednesday it had signed sponsorship deals with all ten members of the International Olympic Committee&#39;s (IOC) refugee team, essentially becoming their first corporate sponsor. 
 
The IOC introduced its inaugural refugee team in June to draw global attention to the plight of refugees. The athletes, six men and four women, will compete in swimming, judo and athletics and march with the Olympic flag just before host Brazil at the opening ceremony on August 5. 
 
The team includes five athletes from South Sudan, two from Syria, two from Democratic Republic of Congo and one from Ethiopia. All are required to have official refugee status, according to the United Nations. 
 
Some advocates for refugees have questioned whether it is opportunistic for companies to use refugees in advertising campaigns.&nbsp;The value of Visa&#39;s deals with refugee athletes, which it brokered directly with them with the help of the IOC, was not disclosed.&nbsp;Curtin said the contracts are &quot;identical, comparable deals&quot;, to the sponsorship agreements Visa has with more well-known athletes. 
 
The company can use the refugees in their marketing campaigns if the IOC approves it. The IOC could not be reached for comment on Visa&#39;s campaign. 
 
Chris Curtin, Visa&#39;s chief marketing innovation and brand officer, said sponsoring refugee athletes ties into the concept of acceptance that is one of the creative threads behind the company&#39;s Olympic campaign, and also an idea consumers associate with credit cards.&nbsp;Visa is working with 60 Olympians and Paralympians ahead of Rio, including US athletes Missy Franklin, beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings and Ashton Eaton, who won the gold medal in decathlon in London. 
 
Visa had previously announced a sponsorship deal with Yusra Mardini, an elite swimmer who left Syria last August. Mardini and her sister swam for more than three hours in the open sea to get to Greece after the small boat she was on started to capsize. She helped more than a dozen or so people on the boat survive the journey who could not swim. 
 
Mardini now trains in Germany. Visa posted a photo of Mardini on its Facebook page with the text &#39;Accept me because I&#39;ve swum against the current to get where I belong&#39;. 
 
(Reuters)

Some advocates have questioned whether it is opportunistic for companies to use refugees in advertising campaigns

Visa Inc, operator of the world's largest payments network, said on Wednesday it had signed sponsorship deals with all ten members of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) refugee team, essentially becoming their first corporate sponsor. The IOC introduced its inaugural refugee team in June to draw global attention to the plight of refugees. The athletes, six men and four women, will compete in swimming, judo and athletics and march with the Olympic flag just before host Brazil at the opening ceremony on August 5. The team includes five athletes from South Sudan, two from Syria, two from Democratic Republic of Congo and one from Ethiopia. All are required to have official refugee status, according to the United Nations. Some advocates for refugees have questioned whether it is opportunistic for companies to use refugees in advertising campaigns. The value of Visa's deals with refugee athletes, which it brokered directly with them with the help of the IOC, was not disclosed. Curtin said the contracts are "identical, comparable deals", to the sponsorship agreements Visa has with more well-known athletes. The company can use the refugees in their marketing campaigns if the IOC approves it. The IOC could not be reached for comment on Visa's campaign. Chris Curtin, Visa's chief marketing innovation and brand officer, said sponsoring refugee athletes ties into the concept of acceptance that is one of the creative threads behind the company's Olympic campaign, and also an idea consumers associate with credit cards. Visa is working with 60 Olympians and Paralympians ahead of Rio, including US athletes Missy Franklin, beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings and Ashton Eaton, who won the gold medal in decathlon in London. Visa had previously announced a sponsorship deal with Yusra Mardini, an elite swimmer who left Syria last August. Mardini and her sister swam for more than three hours in the open sea to get to Greece after the small boat she was on started to capsize. She helped more than a dozen or so people on the boat survive the journey who could not swim. Mardini now trains in Germany. Visa posted a photo of Mardini on its Facebook page with the text 'Accept me because I've swum against the current to get where I belong'. (Reuters)

Visa to sponsor refugee athletes in Rio Olympics 2016

visa

Visa, News on Visa, stories on Visa, articles on Visa, Visa stories at Wion, Visa news, Visa latest news