Record 82,000 Indians got US student visa in 2022

Amidst the growing bonhomie between the two largest democracies, the United States has issued the highest number of student visas to Indians in 2022. The US Mission in India has issued 82,000 student visas to date this year, which is more than any other country. 

The US embassy in India informed that its office and four Consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai prioritised processing student visa applications from May to August to ensure that as many qualified students as possible made it to their programs of study in time for scheduled start dates.

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Appreciating the efforts put by the embassy and consulates staff, Charge d'Affaires Patricia Lacina 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 both 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."

Lacina also stated that the delay in the visa process was caused due to the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide. 

Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs Don Heflin said: "International student mobility is central to US diplomacy, and nowhere is the contribution of students bigger than in India. Here's wishing this year's group of students the best of luck in their studies!"

As per the embassy, Indian students comprise about 20 per cent of all international students studying in the United States. According to the Open Doors report, there were 167,582 students from India in the US in the 2020-2021 academic year.

Last month, the United Kingdom High Commission in India reported that nearly 118,000 Indian students received student visas this year -- an 89 per cent increase from the previous year. As per the UK Immigration Statistics report, India has now overtaken China as the largest nationality being issued sponsored study visas in the UK.

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