US issues record number of student visas in India, opens 2.5 lakh new appointments for Indian travellers

PTC Web Desk:  The United States (US) has once again set a record by issuing an unprecedented number of student visas in India this year, surpassing last year's figure of over 1.4 lakh, which was the highest globally at the time. While the exact number for 2024 is yet to be confirmed, the US Embassy in India announced this milestone in a statement on Monday.

Additionally, the US Embassy revealed the opening of 2,50,000 new visa appointments for Indian travellers, covering tourists, skilled workers and students. "These new slots will help hundreds of thousands of Indian applicants secure timely visa interviews, facilitating their travel," the statement read. The US mission to India has also surpassed 1 million non-immigrant visa applications for the second consecutive year.

During the summer of 2024, the US processed a record number of student visas, ensuring that all first-time applicants were able to obtain appointments at one of the five US consular sections across India. US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, highlighted the success of the visa process improvements: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to streamline the visa process, and I am proud to say we have delivered. Our consular teams across the embassy and four consulates have worked tirelessly to meet the surging demand.”

In 2023, the US consular team in India issued over 1.4 lakh student visas, setting a global record for the third consecutive year. Individually, Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai now rank as the top four student visa processing posts in the world. Indian students make up more than a quarter of the one million international students in the US, making them the largest group of foreign graduate students in the country.