India tops with 82,000 students getting visas for higher studies in US this year

The United States has issued a record 82,000 student visas to Indians in 2022, which is higher than any other country, according to a US Embassy statement.

Patricia Lacina, Charge d’affaires of the US Embassy in India said, “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. 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 said.

Indian students comprise nearly 20 per cent of all international students studying in the United States, with the Open Doors report in 2021 showing there were 1,67,582 students from India in the 2020-2021 academic year.

According to the statement, the US embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai prioritised the processing of student visa applications from May to August to ensure that as many qualified students as possible made it to their programmes of study in time.