When it comes to clearance for a Fulbright scholar, even an Indian passport is no help

“For me, the biggest hardship of this significant delay has been financial. I have had to take out a student loan to cover my travel, health insurance (which is required by my university in the US) and living expenses,” she writes. Morarji says she hopes to pay this loan back “if/when I eventually get my grant.” “But this may not be possible since the grant terms require me to conduct my fieldwork for one year from the time I get the clearance and funding. So this has been a big, unexpected, financial burden that I am likely to feel the effects of for several years to come,” she says.

“I know of people who have been so demoralised by this process that they have almost given up on their PhDs. It is not an easy thing to change your topic after three to four years of research and preparation (including learning a new language) for a given project,” she said.

“They (USEFI) told me that my application still had to go to External Affairs for clearance since my husband is to accompany me, and he is a US citizen. But he is not doing any research in India and would not be coming on a research visa, but rather an entry visa-so this does not really make sense. Every foreigner who comes to India does not need clearance from External Affairs after all,” says Morarji who was one of the signatories to the letter to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.