The US Mission in India on Friday said it issued more than one million non-immigrant visas for the second consecutive year, including a record number of visitor visas, underscoring the huge demand from Indians to travel to the US.
Washington is also working to formally set up a US-based mechanism to renew H-1B visas in that country in 2025, which is expected to benefit a large number of Indians.
Over the past four years, the number of visitors from India has increased five-fold, and more than 2 million Indians visited the US in the first 11 months of 2024, a 26 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.
The embassy said more than 50 lakh Indians already have non-immigrant visas to visit the US and each day the mission issues thousands more.
“The U.S. Mission in India issued more than one million nonimmigrant visas for the second consecutive year, including a record number of visitor visas, responding to the strong demand from Indians to travel to the United States for tourism, business, and education. Underlines.” This is stated in a readout.
The Embassy said the State Department completed a successful pilot program this year to renew H-1B visas in US states.
This allowed many specialty occupation workers from India to renew their visas without leaving the US.
It added, “This pilot program has streamlined the renewal process for thousands of applicants, and the State Department is working to formally establish a U.S.-based renewal program in 2025.”
According to the readout, the US Mission in India issued thousands of immigrant visas, facilitating legal family reunification and migration of skilled professionals.
It said these immigrant visa holders became permanent residents upon their arrival, joining the already prosperous and large Indian expatriate community in the US.
It said the US Mission in India also provided more than 24,000 passports and other consular services to US citizens living and traveling in India.
The embassy said a new version of the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) began in 2024, making it easier for embassies and consulates to contact US citizens during emergencies and send them security alerts.
It said the increase in processing of thousands of interview waiver-eligible non-immigrant visa applications each week has made it faster and easier than ever for Indians to renew their non-immigrant visas.
It added, “By streamlining operations and utilizing global consular resources, the U.S. Mission has been able to redirect its own resources to focus on in-person interviews, thereby reducing wait times for all applicants Has gone.”
The mission also provided details about visas issued to Indian students.
It said, “More Indian students than ever before now have US student visas. In 2024, India becomes the top country sending international students for the first time since the 2008/2009 academic year, with a total of more than 331,000 students. Studying in America.”
It further said that India remained the largest sending country of international graduate students to the US for the second year running.
According to the details, the number of Indian undergraduate students has increased by 19 percent to almost 200,000 students.
“Many exchange visitors will now be able to stay in the United States and will not need to return home for up to two years after completing their programs in the US, giving them more opportunities to pursue their careers and education,” the embassy said.
“The removal of India from the Exchange Visitors Skills List provides greater flexibility for these Indian J-1 nonimmigrant visa holders,” it said.
The US mission said it is dedicated to fostering strong bilateral relations and providing exceptional consular services.
“These accomplishments over the past year are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Mission staff and the enduring partnership between the United States and India,” it said.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
