US grants 1.4 lakh student visas to Indians in 2022 in record high

In line with strengthening the United States-India relations, the Biden administration, reportedly issued over 1,40,000 visas to Indian students last year (2022).

Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services, said the US administration's dedication to strengthening people-to-people ties in an interview with PTI.

A milestone

• Stufft commended the tireless efforts of US missions in India, which operated six to seven days a week to ensure timely student interviews before the commencement of classes in the US.
• She said, "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."
•  "India is now the largest source country for foreign students in the United States, as well as many other visa categories," Stufft said.

Additionally, she also highlighted cases where interviews were waived for Indian travellers with previous US travel experience.

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Steps to reduce visa wait time

• Acknowledging the high US visa appointment wait times in India, Stufft said the efforts are underway to address this challenge.
• "We are sending huge numbers of officers to India to manage the wait time and move them around the country as needed," she assured.
• While improvements have been made, she acknowledged the need for further reductions in wait times.
• She also said the administration is working on easing wait time for first-time visitor interviews as well.

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She stated, "Everyone from the president, of course, to Ambassador Garcetti and the secretary of state is so committed to making sure that the people-to-people ties between our two countries expand."

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Record-Breaking Visa in 2023

• Highlighting the broader context, Stufft revealed that the US has already issued more than 10.5 million visas to Indians in 2023, surpassing expectations.
• This includes records for work visas and student visas.

Stufft also advised prospective travellers to apply as soon as possible and assured that special channels exist for work-related and business visas to prioritise processing.

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