The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India announced that 3,900 applicants had been interviewed during its annual Student Visa Day on June 13.

Key Points:

• The United States remains the No. 1 higher education destination for Indian students, with 69% preferring a U.S. education to any other destination. The U.S. Mission has expanded the 2024 student visa season to continue to meet growing demand.
• The number of Indian students choosing to study in the United States saw record-breaking growth in 2023, with more visas issued than in 2018, 2019 and 2020 combined.
•  Indian students are poised to become the largest group of international students in the United States.
• The U.S. Mission has also met a 400% rise in demand for all other visas between 2021 and 2023.

Additional Information: The establishment of Student Visa Day in India eight years ago is a joint effort between the Department of State, Mission India and EducationUSA to share information on studying in the United States and reflects the U.S. government’s commitment to prioritize students and facilitate their travel. “Today’s Indian students also represent tremendous potential — the knowledge you will unlock, the new skills and opportunities you will experience and the relationships you will build are worth the investment. … Together, we are taking the U.S.-India relationship forward,” said U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti.

BAL Analysis: The U.S. Mission in India set a goal of processing 1 million nonimmigrant visas in 2023, a target that was reached in September. The U.S. Consulate Mumbai conducted a “Super Saturday” visa drive on May 12, screening 1,700 first-time student visa applicants for approval. While visa services at some embassies and consulates remain delayed, the U.S. Mission in India said it would continue to “invest in the future of consular services in India and explore ways to provide more efficient and convenient services.”