Md Imran lost his passport containing his F-1 and Schengen visas during a tournament trip in Bratislava last June. Although he obtained an emergency passport and subsequently earned two Grandmaster norms, four months of daily attempts have failed to secure a new U.S. visa appointment. This delay forced him to postpone his enrollment at the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley from Fall 2026 to Spring 2027. He must obtain the visa before the January 19, 2027 orientation date or permanently lose his full university scholarship.
Key points
The full scholarship at the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley will be lost without…: The full scholarship at the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley will be lost without an F-1 visa by January 19, 2027.
An existing family debt of Rs 50 lakh has been exacerbated by repeated travel expenses re…: An existing family debt of Rs 50 lakh has been exacerbated by repeated travel expenses related to visa processing.
New Schengen visa constraints are severely restricting Imran from traveling to Europe to…: New Schengen visa constraints are severely restricting Imran from traveling to Europe to pursue his final Grandmaster norm.
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NEW DELHI: Last June, seventeen-year-old Md Imran was in Bratislava, Slovakia, when an incident turned his European chess campaign into a nightmare.
As previously reported on TimesofIndia.com, he lost his passport, his phone, money and several personal belongings. More than just his valuables, he had lost something far more important, his valid US F-1 visa and Schengen visa.
Stranded in a foreign country, with no easy way to get home or continue his journey, the young Indian chess player suddenly found himself fighting a battle that had little to do with the 64 squares. But Imran, hailing from Andhra Pradesh, refused to let the setback end his journey.
In the days and weeks that followed, he produced two consecutive Grandmaster (GM) norms, bringing him within touching distance of the coveted Grandmaster title.
Yet, four months after that incident, Imran is back in India, facing a different kind of situation, which includes an unresolved US visa crisis, mounting family debt, and the possibility of losing a full university scholarship that could change his life.
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