On Thursday, the USA said it issued a ‘record-breaking’ 82,000 student visas to Indians this year, which was the highest amongst all other countries. The US Mission said the 82,000 Indian students who received visas this year make up roughly 20 percent of all international students enrolled in American universities.
More Indians Than Chinese Received Student Visas
According to US State Department data, Chinese students received 46,145 F1 visas between January and July 2022, far fewer than Indian scholars. To ensure that as many qualified students as possible arrived at their programs of study on time for the scheduled start dates, the US Embassy in New Delhi and 4 Consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai prioritized the processing of student visa applications from May to August.
Words of Patricia Lacina, US Charge d’Affaires
“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.”
Charge d’Affaires further said, “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 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.”
One of the most important aspects of US diplomacy is international student mobility. Throughout the pandemic, the USA has remained open and welcoming to international students. In 2020, the United States government and higher education institutions implemented measures to welcome international students in person, online safely, and through hybrid learning methods, ensuring that opportunities and resources for international students remained robust.
