Record-breaking year: US Embassy in India breaks all-time record, issues 1,40,000 student visas in one year
Record-breaking year: The US Embassy and its consulates in India have issued an all-time record of over 140,000 student visas between October 2022 and September 2023.
US State Department said, "Our embassy and consulates in India issued an all-time record of more than 140,000 student visas."
The US State Department stated, "From October 2022 through September 2023 (the 2023 federal fiscal year), the Department of State issued a near-record level of nonimmigrant visas of more than 10 million globally."
Half of the US embassies and consulates adjudicated more nonimmigrant visas than ever before.
Additionally, the US embassy issued nearly eight million visitor visas for business and tourism, more than in any fiscal year since 2015, the statement further said.
Moreover, the US embassy and consulates issued more than 600,000 student visas, the highest in any year since Fiscal Year 2017.
The statement further said that these achievements were possible because of innovative solutions, such as expanding interview waiver authorities that allow frequent travellers who meet strict national security standards to renew their visas without having to visit an embassy or consulate.
Last month, the US Mission to India reached and surpassed the goal to process one million non-immigrant visa applications in 2023.
The US Embassy and Consulates in India said in a statement that last year over 1.2 million Indians visited the US, making it one of the most robust travel relationships in the world.
The US Embassy said that Garcetti was the special guest helping the extra visa applicants on 'Super Saturday'.
- ANI