Nearly 1, 25, 000 student visas from India were issued in 2022, by the United States embassy and consulates in India. The agency has also broken all-time records for the number of student visas to be issued from India in a single fiscal year, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a press conference.
In response to a query regarding the slowdown in the issuing of visas for Indian tourists, Price accepted that there was indeed a delay, but also noted that the agency was working to reduce the wait times for interview appointments.
Price further reiterated that the United States is committed to ensuring the security of non-immigrant travellers and facilitating lawful travel. He also stated that the timely processing of visas is vital to the US economy as well.
Price noted that the US has doubled the number of service and foreign personnel working on the issue of visas. He also stated that the country’s procedures are improving faster than expected and that they expect to hit pre-pandemic levels in the next couple of years.
In November 2022, a senior US embassy official stated that India would surpass China in the number of visas it would issue by 2023. It would also be ranked second only to Mexico in the number of visas it would issue. The senior US Embassy Official in New Delhi further announced that they are opening slots in mid-November for visa interview appointments.
According to a US embassy official, the agency does not have much wait time for different types of visas. However, each category has its own wait time. The US government has also opened up 100,000 slots for H and L worker visas, which should reduce the wait times.
The US is currently focused on India as a top priority, the official noted. There are also various categories of visas that the country issues such as business, student, and high-tech workers.
According to Price, the demand for visas has increased due to the easing of travel restrictions in various countries. He noted that more and more people are looking for opportunities to travel to the US.
He further re-instates that the US is able to reduce the wait times worldwide due to the hiring of more foreign service personnel. He also noted that the country’s visa processing rate is recovering faster than expected.
According to Price, the demand for visas has increased due to the easing of travel restrictions in various countries. He noted that more and more people are looking for oppurtunities to travel to the US.
He further re-instates that the US is able to reduce the wait times worldwide due to the hiring of more foreign service personnel. He also noted that the country’s visa processing rate is recovering faster than expected.