US Visa Surge: Record Numbers and New Opportunities for Indians

The US mission in India has issued over one million nonimmigrant visas for the second year, driven by increased demand among Indians for travel. A record number of visitor visas and ongoing efforts to establish US-based H-1B renewals highlight this trend, with India becoming a top sender of international students.

The US mission in India announced it has issued more than one million nonimmigrant visas for the second consecutive year, including a record number of visitor visas. This highlights the growing demand from Indians seeking to travel to the United States.

Officials are working towards a US-based renewal system for H-1B visas by 2025, which is expected to benefit a large number of Indian nationals. Visitor numbers from India have surged fivefold over the past four years, with more than two million Indians traveling to the US in the first 11 months of 2024 alone—a 26% increase from the previous year.

In addition to boosting visitor visa numbers, the US has facilitated the migration of skilled professionals and legal family reunification through immigrant visas, enhancing the Indian diaspora in the US. Furthermore, India became the top sender of international students to the US in the 2024 academic year, with more than 331,000 students enrolled.

(With inputs from agencies.)