man said . `` They were n't satisfied I was going to Britain for the stated purpose , '' he said . Javaid said his passport contains a valid student visa for the United States and he sent documentation from the Channel Swimming Association with his visa application to prove he is scheduled to do the swim . The United Kingdom Border Agency told CNN in a written statement that `` all visa applications are considered on their individual merits , taking into account all the information provided . '' `` Where an applicant fails to demonstrate they meet the relevant rules , their application will be refused , '' the statement said . The agency noted that anyone who is refused can reapply with additional information . Mark Cooper , the director of marketing and communication at Ohio Wesleyan University , said British authorities have not contacted the university to ask about Javaid 's student status . `` We did send ... documentation to -LSB- British authorities -RSB- to follow up '' after Javaid 's application was denied , he said . Javaid has since applied to the British high commissioner in Islamabad for an emergency visa . Meanwhile
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 22-year-old man from Pakistan hopes to soon swim the English Channel with an American friend -- but first he 's got to navigate the currents of bureaucracy . College teammates David Gatz -LRB- left -RRB- and Usman Javaid want to swim the English Channel for charity . Usman Javaid , an Ohio college student who has won national swimming titles in his native Pakistan , wants to swim the channel with his best friend , David Gatz , a fellow member of the swim team at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware , Ohio . They want to honor their international friendship by working together to accomplish a great feat : a relay across the English Channel . They also hope to raise money for charity . `` With teamwork and cooperation you can tackle even the toughest of challenges , '' Javaid told CNN in a phone interview Wednesday from Islamabad , Pakistan . Yet the British government has denied Javaid 's request for the visa that would let him enter the country . British authorities say they ca n't grant a visa because they have questions about Javaid 's student status , the young