Indian student says agent canceled Oct 19 F-1 visa interview over extra Rs 20,000 demand

An Indian student planning to study in the US has alleged that a private education agent canceled his October 19, 2026 F-1 visa interview appointment in Mumbai after he refused to pay an additional Rs 20,000. The student, whose I-20 showed an August 31, 2026 program start date, could not get an interview slot before classes began; the agent later claimed to have secured the October appointment but demanded the extra payment, which the student declined. The account, shared on Reddit and reported by several news outlets, is not independently verified. Officially, the US charges $185 for F/M/J visa processing plus the I-901 SEVIS fee — there is no government 'appointment fee' of Rs 20,000, so the case highlights why students should keep control of their own visa scheduling accounts. Source: https://www.nripage.com/articles/visa-immigration/2026/10/06/indian-student-says-f-1-visa-interview-canceled-over-agent-fee

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