In a remarkable move to enhance people-to-people relations, the United States issued a historic 140,000 visas to Indian students last year. Initiatives are in progress to alleviate visa appointment wait times as part of the Biden administration’s commitment to fostering closer ties with India.
As part of the Biden administration’s endeavor to promote people-to-people ties with India, the United States issued more than 140,000 visas to Indian students last year and is taking several steps to reduce visa appointment wait times.
In an interview with PTI, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services, highlighted the efforts made by US missions in India to accommodate the growing demand. “We are really proud of what we have done in India this year. I think for the first time in history, we set a goal to issue one million visas in India, and not only did we accomplish that, but it was done several months in advance. So, the number will go way beyond that.”
India has become the largest source country for foreign students in the United States, and a record-setting number of visas were issued this year for various categories, including workers, crew members, and students. Stufft emphasized the significance of Indian students, stating, “India is now the largest source country for foreign students in the United States, as well as many other visa categories. That’s a very important one for us.”
Last year, over 140,000 visas were issued to Indian students, marking a substantial increase. Stufft acknowledged the efforts made by US missions in India to streamline the visa application process, particularly for students, stating, “For students who are applying in India, I would say the biggest thing is that the missions there have worked six, seven days a week to interview students to make sure that everyone can be interviewed before their classes start.”
To address the still-high visa appointment wait times in India, the US is actively working to send more officers to manage the demand. Stufft expressed optimism about a potential reduction in wait times, stating, “I hope it will be (coming down) this year, meaning this fiscal year for us. But we are sending huge numbers of officers to India to manage the wait time and move them around the country as needed.”
The Biden administration remains committed to fostering people-to-people ties between the US and India. “We really expect more innovations and a much quicker process in the future,” Stufft assured.
During a media round table, Stufft shared that the US has issued over 10.5 million visas in 2023, surpassing expectations. Efforts are underway to further reduce wait times in the coming year, with a focus on addressing high demand locations.
