US expands global student visa services

The US embassy in India has increased visa appointments by 250,000 to accommodate the surge in demand from Indian tourists, skilled workers, and students. This move comes amid a 35% rise in Indian travelers to the US in 2024, with over 1.2 million Indians having visited so far. The US embassy reported record numbers during the student visa season, with all first-time applicants securing an appointment at one of its five consular sections across India. Currently, around six million Indian citizens hold non-immigrant visas to visit the US, with over 140,000 study visas issued to Indian students in 2023. The US aims to expedite the visa process, a goal set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden. India has become the top source of international students in the US for the second consecutive year in 2024. The US is also planning to send more of its students to India as the two countries strengthen their diplomatic relations. The US Department of State updates global visa wait times, with Bangladesh experiencing the longest wait times of up to 265 days as of September 2024. However, wait times at Indian embassies have decreased from 245 days in 2022 to 56 and 70 days in New Delhi and Mumbai, respectively. These wait times are influenced by staffing at US consulates, which consider visa overstay rates and economic growth rates for different countries. In 2022, visa overstay rates for Ghana and Nigeria were 18% and 20%, respectively, compared to India s rate of 3%. The US has also expanded its visa services in the Philippines, opening a new Visa Application Centre with an updated online appointment system on September 28. As of 2022/23, there were 3,818 students from the Philippines studying in the US. In summary, the US embassy in India has responded to the growing demand from Indian tourists, skilled workers, and students by increasing visa appointments. The US

Source: thepienews.com
Published on 2024-10-02

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