Indians now symbolize over 10% of all US visa candidates worldwide, together with 20% of all pupil visa candidates. 

Based on knowledge launched by the US State Division, the US has issued 102,655 F-1 visas to Indians as much as August 2023. The vast majority of these (84,894) have been granted in June, July and August within the run as much as the brand new educational 12 months. F-1 issuance peaked in June with 40,224 visas granted. 

Popping out of the pandemic, the US struggled to satisfy demand for its visa companies resulting from staffing shortages and consulate closures. This led to critical backlogs and lengthy wait instances for candidates, which had a knock-on impact on universities recruiting worldwide college students. 

In India, the place demand has soared lately, a black marketplace for pupil visas emerged.

Over the previous 12 months, the US has launched a spread of measures to sort out the backlogs, together with opening a brand new consulate in Hyderabad, using extra workers, extending interview waiver eligibility and introducing longer opening hours. 

Manisha Zaveri, joint managing director at Indian pupil recruitment company Profession Mosaic, stated these initiatives have “contributed to a smoother and extra environment friendly expertise” for Indian college students. 

Earlier this 12 months, the US mission to India set itself a goal of issuing 1 million visas to Indians in 2023 – a aim it has now surpassed.  

US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti personally handed over the millionth visa to an Indian lady on the finish of September, who’s planning to journey to the US to go to her son learning on the Massachusetts Institute of Expertise.  

Chatting with native reporters, Garcetti stated: “We modified our programs, labored tougher, labored smarter and we hit 1 million visa purposes now that we now have processed this 12 months.”

He added that wait instances are two-thirds lower than they have been “at their worst”. The US embassy is processing virtually 20% extra purposes than in pre-pandemic 2019.

“STEM schooling performs a pivotal position in drawing college students to the US”

Zaveri stated Indian college students proceed to be pushed to the US by the “excellence” of the programs on supply, in addition to the job alternatives after commencement. 

“Notably, STEM schooling performs a pivotal position in drawing college students to the US, aligning with the ever-growing demand for expert professionals in areas comparable to knowledge analytics, synthetic intelligence, and engineering, which proceed to vow profitable profession alternatives,” she stated. 

“The presence of monetary support and scholarships makes pursuing schooling within the US extra inexpensive, additional enhancing its attraction to Indian college students. Furthermore, the US job market supplies promising profession prospects with aggressive salaries.”

In a press release, Garcetti pledged to proceed the “record-setting quantity” of visa work within the coming months to assist the US-India relationship.

 “Our partnership with India is without doubt one of the United States’ most vital bilateral relationships, and actually probably the most vital relationships on the planet,” he stated. 

President Joe Biden just lately visited India as a part of the G20 summit and met with prime minster Narendra Modi. They agreed to proceed growing the Indian-US relationship and welcomed the launch of a joint institute to sort out international points.