US issues 140,000 visas to Indian students: Why it is the destination of choice

The United States has issued a record 140,000 visas to Indian students from October 2022 to September 2023. The news comes as the US continues to clear the visa backlog and reduce wait times. Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services, told PTI that the US has made a massive effort to fulfill the demand from India. “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.” “There are record-setting numbers this year for workers, crew members and students applying in India to come to the United States,” she added. But how many Indian students are going to the US? And why is it such a preferred destination? Let’s take a closer look: By the numbers Hindustan Times quoted data from the Ministry of External Affairs as saying that around 1.3 million students went abroad for higher education in the last academic year.

Around 465,000 went to the United States – the most of any country.

The June-August period saw 90,000 visas being issued to Indian students. In the United States, Indians comprise 10 per cent of all visa applicants and 20 per cent of all student visa applicants. As per The Times of India, around 200,000 students are currently enrolled in places of learning in the US. That figure was up from 167,582 students in India in the 2020-2021 academic year, as per Open Door. In that academic year, around 77 per cent of Indian students were in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), as per India Today. More than a third of students were enrolled in math and computer science. [caption id=“attachment_13287052” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] As per The Times of India, around 200,000 students are currently enrolled in places of learning in the US.[/caption] More and more students are choosing the US. “Last year, a record-breaking 125,000 Indians were issued student visas, which is more than were issued to any other nationality.  In fact, one out of every five student visas were issued in India last year. This year, we will interview more students than ever before,” Brendan Mullarkey, the acting Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs in India said in June. Why is it such a preferred destination? Experts say there are a number of reasons. A piece in Hindustan Times points to the country’s academic diversity. “From STEM programs delving into cutting-edge technology to liberal arts courses exploring the depths of human expression, US institutions cover an expansive spectrum of disciplines,” the piece states. It also pointed to the high standards of education – nothing that 16 universities placed in the top 25 in the 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings – state-of-the-art facilities and networking opportunities. “Indian students in the United States, constituting one of the largest international student groups, benefit from the multicultural environment. This diversity not only enriches their academic experience but also offers unparalleled networking opportunities, allowing them to build global connections that can shape their future careers and broaden their horizons,” the piece stated.

An article in The Times of India took note of the support offered to students.

“From helping students plan their travel to financial aid counselling, to finally defining the course of their career post their study, institutions in the US remain ready to answer all queries that might erupt in the process of application,” the piece noted.

It also said the US offered an unmatched flexibility to students.

“The syllabus followed has been extended to incorporate the latest innovations in the industry rather than sticking to the age-old contents. The assessment procedure has also been altered to be in line with most recent methods of the times. This factor enables students to adapt well with the existing technology, making their skillset more relevant for the world of today,” the piece stated. “I first came to India as a young student, and I’ve seen in my own life how transformative these experiences can be,” said Ambassador Eric Garcetti at the seventh annual Student Visa Day in June. “Student exchange is at the heart of US-India relations, and with good reason.  A US education provides students a world-class education and access to a global network of knowledge, laying the foundation for a lifetime of understanding.  That’s why we are here today, to encourage these opportunities for as many Indian students as possible.” ‘Really proud’ Stufft told PTI that US missions in India worked six, seven days a week to make sure that students could be interviewed before their classes started. “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. [caption id=“attachment_13434752” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] In the United States, Indians comprise 10 per cent of all visa applicants and 20 per cent of all student visa applicants. AFP[/caption] “There are record-setting numbers this year for workers, crew members and students applying in India to come to the United States,” she added. Stufft further said, “We specifically made sure that we saw the students who were applying coming out of India. 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. We have also had a lot of cases where the interview was waived, so no interview for Indian travellers who have previously travelled and are now going back to the US.”

Last year, the US issued a record over 1,40,000 visas to Indian students, she said.

“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. The amount of effort and importance that we place on Indian students coming to the US is born out in the visa process. We want to make sure everyone has that chance,” she said. The US, Stufft said, is working on taking several steps to reduce the visa appointment wait time in India, which is still a bit high. “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. I mean, it has gotten much better but it still needs to come down quite a bit,” she said. “We had a state visit recently. Everyone from the president of course, to Ambassador (Eric) Garcetti and the secretary of state is so committed to making sure that the people-to-people ties between our two countries expand. We are carrying that out in the visa process. So, we really expect more innovations and a much quicker process in the future,” Stufft told PTI. The State Department official said anyone who is interested in travelling to the US for any reason should apply as soon as possible. “If you are travelling for work-related reasons, there’s another special avenue to use. There is a special channel to use so that business-related visas are also prioritised. Bear with us, I would say as we get through this. “India is unique because it represents the highest number of visas in several categories. Not just visitors, not just students, not just maritime crew members but highly skilled work. I mean, it is a tremendous demand across the board for us. So our priority is to get all of those wait times down,” she said. During a media round table with a group of foreign journalists organised by the Foreign Press Centre, Stufft said the US has issued more than 10.5 million visas in 2023 so far, which is 2 million more than what it had anticipated and is almost hitting the highest-ever level at its overseas missions. “Half of our overseas missions set their own record for that country for adjudications of visas in that country. We set records for visa adjudication, for work visas and for student visas as well in some (other) categories,” she said. For 2024, the US is still working very hard on reducing wait times, Stufft said. “In some overseas locations, we still have very high wait times, some exceeding a year still for one category of visa, which is a first-time visitor, someone who needs an interview for their visa. “All other categories have low wait times globally, but we are very focused on the first-time visitor interview wait times and what’s very interesting to us is that many of the places where we have set records for visa production this year are the same places where we still have really high wait times. This just indicates a very high level of demand and we are going to use this year to really get control of that in these five or six places with very high wait times,” she said. With inputs from agencies