Visa appointment wait times down by 75%, US processes record-breaking tourist visas to Indians
Indians now constitute one-tenth of all US visa applicants globally, with demand skyrocketing across all visa categories, witnessing a remarkable 60 per cent surge compared to the previous year.
«In 2023, the US Embassy and Consulates in India processed a record-smashing 1.4 million US visas. Demand across all visa classes was unprecedented, with a 60 per cent increase in applications compared to 2022. Indians now represent one out of every ten US visa applicants around the world,» a statement by the US Embassy and Consulates in India said.
Visitor visas (B1/B2) experienced a notable resurgence, representing the second-highest number of applications in the history of the US Mission, surpassing 700,000. The United States has ramped up staff in India whoch have led to a remarkable reduction of appointment wait times from an average of 1,000 days to a mere 250 days nationwide, across all visa categories.
The US consular team in India achieved another milestone by issuing over 140,000 student visas in 2023, setting a record for the third consecutive year. Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai emerged as the top four student visa processing posts globally, solidifying Indian students as the largest cohort of international graduate students in the United States, constituting over a quarter of the one million foreign students in the country.
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The statement from the US Embassy and Consulates emphasized the continued priority on 'employment visas.' A strategic consolidation of petition-based visa processing in Chennai and Hyderabad contributed to the efficient processing of over 380,000 employment visas for Indians and their family
