Why was my German foreign exchange student recalled?

Question

Monday night, a German foreign exchange student at my school recieved a phone call from his company that sent him over. The company called Flag (or somethings like that, can't remember the exact name) informed him that his visa had been suddenly cancelled and that he had 48 hours to return home.

He was not allowed to talk about the reason why at school, but we know it was not a family issue. He said himself that his family wishes for him to stay in America. My friends and I are also pretty sure that he's not in trouble with the law.

Can anyone who has dealt with foreign exchange students give us some possible explainations?

I just heard that it was probably something with the company that sent him over instead of the government. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Exchange placement agencies send back students all the time for no reason other than they already collected the foreign parents money and don't want to deal with the student for the rest of the year. This multi-million dollar industry treats these kids like property and don't care about "public diplomacy". The bottom line is money. The previous answers reflect little knowledge of the exchange industry and are slanted against the foreign student implying he did something wrong. He didn't. Until this year, the exchange industry did not even bother to do criminal background checks placing kids with convicted criminals. A California bill for fingerprint checks was opposed and derailed by the exchange industry - why would it do that if its "top priority is the safety and welfare of the children?" The U.S. Department of State had to mandate criminal background checks on May 4, 2006 but even then the exchange industry opted for the cheapest and fastest checks not the most comprehensive. I want to know why private citizens have control of our American visas. That is frightening. Since the costs to foreign parents is $3000 to $16000, that is a loss that falls in the gray area to sue the company. It costs that much to hire a lawyer and foreign parents don't know how to access our legal system. Tough enough for Americans much less being in a foreign country. The sad thing is the horrible stigma of being sent home - it is a great shame that the student must bear, particularly the Asian culture. But the exchange industry could care less. Yes, this is an ugly side of foreign exchange that Americans don't want to read about but until we complain to the State Department about the ugly tactics of the foreign exchange placement agencies, kids like this German boy will continue to be victimized. Check out the IRS 990s for these companies - $12 million, $8 million, salaries of $200,000 plus expense account for the top executives and almost nothing for the local "recruiting volunteers" and nothing for the host families. The question tells me the author cared about this student - good!! It made you ask the question. Now help!! Write to your federal and state representatives. Complain about how this boy was treated. Do something to help future students. And keep the information on the Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students and become a member. If the host family had known who to contact, maybe that boy could have finished his year in America and left with positive experiences about the USA that he would remember into adulthood. You can forward my response to him and let him know I believe him. He needs to know it. See the sources below

Answer 2

A visa you have to understand is an invitation or ticket number for your authorization to stay. Within the United States when a foreigner applies for visa he/she needs to provide documentation in proof regarding the visa. For example if he/she came in under an H-1 H-2 (visitors/business visa). They have to provide answers to questions as to whether they have family in the United States and a itinerary as to what their intent or plans in the US is. That is just for the visitor’s visa. It may be different for a foreign exchange visa. But a foreign exchange is probably similar to a F-1 or F-2 student visa. If during the issuance of the visa it is found with further investigation that he/she misrepresented facts on their applications the U.S. department of state has full right to revoke the visa. Even in the situation that they are in the country. In every school there exist immigration medians almost like officers that keep track of students. When a student has something that comes up such as a revoke of visa the USCIS contacts this median to contact the student. Depending on the circumstances they may need to appear before a judge or hearing to determine the outcome. If she/he has medical need it may delay deportation but a voluntary departure can be requested. There could also be other issues such as political issues with his country etc…

Answer 3

Possibly a misdeclaration of intent resulting in a wrong type of visa issued. If you have a tourist or working visa, you can't study with the intention of earning credit or a degree. His next problem would be blacklisting for maybe 10 years, if the case is misdeclaration.

Answer 4

Probably for legal reasons. When foreign students are sent here they have to sign a contract. If they do something stipulated in the contract that should not be done; they are re-called.

I know you are curious but this is not your business maybe he will let you know later what happened. Stay out of his affairs.

Answer 5

It sounds as if he lied on his visa application or there were some other irregularities with his application. It also could be that he might have been a person of interest under the Patriot Act, and the U.S. govt. contacted the German govt. and the latter pulled his visa. This doesn't sound too good...

Answer 6

Uh, did you say recalled? Anyway, he may have stated something on his visa that isnt exactly the truth or if he is underage then the parents could have had something to do with it as well

Answer 7

Most likely, he had committed some fraud back home and that's he called back. Or he me lied in his application. Or he may be attached with some spy ring. Basically US decalred him as "Persona non-grata" and he had to leave.

Answer 8

because she said, i'm not your slave , and if you call back and bother me i'll just tell him your not my husband