The United States has issued a record 82,000 student visas to Indians in 2022, the highest than any other country, the US Embassy in India has 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," Patricia Lacina, Charge d’affaires of the US Embassy in India said.
"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 added.
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.
Minister Counsellor for Consular Affairs Don Heflin said, "we are thrilled to have done our part to help Indian students pursue a top-notch education." "Hopefully, there are a lot of happy students and parents out there. International student mobility is central to US diplomacy, and nowhere is the contribution of students bigger than in India," he said.
According to the embassy 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 for scheduled start dates.
"The United States has remained open and welcoming to international students throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the US government and US higher-education institutions implemented measures to safely welcome international students in person, online, and via hybrid learning methods, guaranteeing that opportunities and resources for international students remained robust.
"Students seeking assistance with studying in the United States should download the EducationUSA India app, available for free on iOS and Android devices. At the click of a button, the app provides the latest information about the college application process and is a quick and easy first step to planning higher education in the United States," it said.
