US envoy to India Eric Garcetti says that one of every 5 student visas were issued in India…reports Asian Lite News
The US Embassy in India has issued a record 90,000 student visas this Summer (July-August). With this, almost one in four student visas issued worldwide, was issued in the India.
“The US Mission in India is pleased to announce that we issued a record number – over 90,000 – of student visas this Summer/ in June, July, and August. This summer almost one in four student visas worldwide was issued right here in India!” the US Embassy in India wrote on ‘X’ formerly Twitter on Monday.
The US Embassy then congratulated students who have chosen the United States to make their higher education goals a reality.
Recently, United States Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said that the wait time for first-time tourist visa interviews has been reduced by more than 50 per cent, adding that goal for 2023 is to process at least one million visas.
Speaking at IIT Delhi, Garcetti highlighted the progress made in visa processing, stating that the US Mission in India is currently processing visas faster than ever before.
Addressing the audience at IIT Delhi, Garcetti said, “We’re already doing this. We’re currently processing more visas, faster, than the US Mission in India ever has before. We have set a goal for ourselves to process at least a million visas in 2023, and we’re already more than halfway towards reaching that goal.”
India and the US have taken several initiatives to smooth the visa process. Earlier, during his visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that Indian professionals will no longer need to leave America for the renewal of their H-1B visas.
The United States authorities announced that they will introduce ‘in-country’ renewable H-1B visas as part of the people-to-people initiative to smoothen the H-1B visa renewal process.
PM Modi had also announced that the United States will open new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.
Meanwhile, India is going to open a new consulate in Seattle this year. Apart from this, Indian Consulates will be opened in 2 more cities in America.
Earlier in June speaking at the US embassy, US envoy to India Eric Garcetti had said that one of every 5 student visas were issued in India.
“One out of every 5 US students visa was issued here in India in 2022. One out of five in the world which is more than the proportion of the Indian population in the world” Garcetti had said
“So, Indians have not only pursued an education in the United States but for decades have shown their excellence in the United States and we are on track to process the highest number of visa applications in our history,” Garcetti added.
In 2022, India had surpassed China to become the top country in the world with the most international students in the United States. In 2020, nearly 207,000 international Indian students were noted to be present in the US, reports say.
A recent report highlighted an increase in the number of Indian students who are heading abroad for their higher education. The rise is a result of eased application formalities, financial aid and scholarships offered by foreign universities to attract students from India.
France had also expressed its desire and goal to welcome around 30,000 students from India. The country is making efforts to increase the intake of Indian students by 2030. The aim will be achieved by fostering academic excellence, boosting cultural ties and enhancing long-lasting friendship between the two countries.
An a report in June had noted that the US had opened the visa appointments for F1 student visas across its consulates in India and the appointments were available from mid-July to mid-August. Meanwhile, a record-breaking 125,000 US student visas were issued to Indians last year, surpassing any other nationality.
Meanwhile, study abroad consultants had told that many more Indian students are heading for studying abroad this fall than ever. This comes as a result of various factors including rising aspirations for a foreign education and career, an increase in applicants from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, the report had stated. Speaking on US intake of Indian students for this fall, Piyush Kumar, regional director -South Asia and Mauritius, IDP Education had said, “This year has been incredible; the number has increased, and probably more than pre-pandemic year. About 25-30 percent of US enrolments have come from Tier 2/3 cities.”
Another consultant Sumeet Jain who is the co-founder of study abroad consultancy Yocket told the daily that “With China numbers reducing, a lot of universities have started focusing on India. We have a great rise in numbers in Indian students.”
Meanwhile, the UK PM Rishi Sunak-led government has decided to implement a hike on student visa and visitor or tourist visa effective from 4 October. The British Government has announced that a UK Tourist Visa for under six months will cost ₹1,543 (£ 15) more and UK Student Visas will be ₹13,070 (£127) more expensive for travelers from around the world, including Indians.
