Iranian Students Risk Losing Their Places at German Universities Due to Visa Application Delays
Iranian master's students admitted to German universities are at risk of losing their university seats, as visa appointments are not arranged by the German Embassy in Iran.
Students have expressed concerns about a possible devaluation of their admissions as the embassy is not even providing them specific information about when it will reopen to them.
In an exchange of emails with Erudera College News, a 17-year-old student, Hossein Ahura* said he has been waiting for nine months now for an interview with the German Embassy in Iran. But the embassy has not been scheduling visa interviews since March last year.
The latter told students that once it reopens, students’ visa appointments will be a priority. However, they have been sending emails in which they require students to wait:
“The German embassy in Iran is reviewing the files of those interviewed. The embassy will start queuing students whose appointments have been cancelled, and then will give the rest of the students an appointment.”
According to students, the German embassy in Iran has been issuing other types of visas including business and immigrant visas, but not for students who are under much pressure and stress as they have been spending amounts of money for university enrollments, months and years planning, attending university interviews or learning the German language.
Other Iranian students also confirmed for Erudera College News that they are going through many struggles to receive an appointment at the embassy.
Zahra Davani* is suspicious there must be other reasons behind the policy rather than Coronavirus, as students were left waiting with no answers even before the pandemic emerged for nearly three years.
According to her, there might also be a lack of coordination between the embassy and the universities in Germany; otherwise, “the latter would not continue to accept Iranian students” she believes.
“If Iranian students are not supposed to have the right to even make an appointment from the embassy, universities should be informed and know that they cannot accept us. We deserve to be aware of decisions that are being made about us. We deserve to be able to plan for ourselves and our future. We deserve to be able to avoid potential psychological damage or financial losses that we may suffer again. Education is everyone’s right, and it’s not tourism” Zahra* said further.
Students also argue that the regulation of German Federal Foreign Office exempts entry restrictions from those students who show a valid admission letter from one of the German universities and who cannot finish their studies remotely.
Note: The names of students in this article have been replaced with other names on their request, as they fear their statements could affect their visa process.
