The US mission to India has announced the opening of an additional 2,50,000 visa appointments for Indian travellers, including tourists, skilled workers and students. 

The US embassy in the capital and the consular offices across the country make up the mission.

“The recently released new slots will help hundreds of thousands of Indian applicants take timely interviews, facilitating the travel which is the backbone of the people-to-people ties that underpin the US-India relationship,” the embassy said in a press note. 

The note added: “The US mission to India has already surpassed one million non-immigrant visa applications for the second consecutive year.  During our student visa season this summer, we continued to process record numbers, and all first-time student applicants were able to obtain an appointment at one of our five consular sections around India.  We are now focused on bringing families together, connecting businesses, and facilitating tourism." 

More than 1.2 million Indians have travelled to the US to date in 2024.

The number is a 35 per cent jump over the corresponding period last year.  At least six million Indians already have a non-immigrant visa to visit the US.   

Eric Garcetti, the US ambassador to India, recently stressed the expedition of the visa process.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to improve and expedite the visa process and I’m proud to say that we have delivered on that promise. Our consular teams at the embassy and four consulates work tirelessly to ensure that we meet the surging demand,” he said.