US Embassy in India Issued Record 82,000 Student Visas In 2022

Despite long wait times and delays in issuing visas to most countries from India, the US Embassy in India said on Thursday that it has issued a record number of 82,000 Student Visas for 2022.

The Embassy also stated that students from India received the greatest number of visas issued by the US this fall globally.

According to the Open Doors report in 2021, Indian students account for nearly 20% of all international students studying in the United States, with nearly 1.7 lakh students from India enrolled in the 2020-2021 academic year.

“The U.S. Mission in India has issued a record-breaking 82,000 Student Visas in 2022 to date, higher than any other country. This shows that the U.S. remains the most sought-after country for higher education,” said Patricia Lacina, Charge d’Affaires at US Embassy India

The U.S. Mission in India has issued a record-breaking 82,000 #studentvisas in 2022 to date, higher than any other country. This shows that the U.S. remains the most sought-after country for higher education. pic.twitter.com/BBv8LZT7oo

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) September 8, 2022

Patricia Lacina in a video message shared on Twitter said:

“We are happy to see so many students were able to receive visas and reach their universities after the delays caused in previous years by the Covid-19 pandemic. We issued over 82,000 student visas this summer alone, more than in any previous year.”

“This shows that the United States remains for most Indian families the most sought-after country for higher education. It also highlights the important contributions Indian students make to both our countries as they build life-long connections with American peers to maintain and grow international partnerships, working collectively to address current and future global challenges.”

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According to a statement from the embassy, from May to August, the US Embassy in New Delhi and four Consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai prioritized the processing of student visa applications to ensure that as many qualified students as possible arrived at their programmes of study on time for scheduled start dates.

Updates On US Visa

Recently, the US High Commission in India issued a series of updates for Unites States Visa applicants in India, stating…

• Beginning this month, the US Embassy in India has resumed routine in-person Business and Tourist Visa B1 and B2 appointments.

• In addition, through December 31, 2022, the Department of State has authorized consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain categories of visa applicants.

• Applicants can request an expedited appointment through the US online appointment system. However, to request an expedited appointment, applicants must already have a confirmed interview appointment date.

• Many visa applicants have paid the processing fee but have yet to schedule a visa appointment. As a result, the US Mission will extend the validity of your payment until September 30, 2023.