NEW DELHI: US will offer an additional 250,000 visa appointment slots for Indian travellers which will include visas for tourists, skilled workers and students. This will ease the wait time that thousands of visa aspirants are seeking at present.
The US issued 1.4 lakh student visas last year -- highest for any other country globally.
"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,’’ according to the US Embassy.
More than 1.2 million Indians have travelled to the US until now this calendar year -- which is a 35 per cent increase over the same period in 2023. At least 6 million Indians already have a non-immigrant visa to visit the US and each day thousands more are issued.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to improve and expedite the visa process and I am 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,’’ said US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti.