New Delhi:
The US Mission in India said on Friday it has issued more than one million non-immigrant visas for the second year in a row, including a record number of visitor visas, highlighting the huge demand from Indians to travel to the United States.
Washington is also working to establish an official US-based center for renewing H-1B visas in that country in 2025, from which a large number of Indians are expected to benefit.
In the past four years, visitor numbers from India have increased five-fold, and more than two million Indians traveled to the United States in the first 11 months of 2024, an increase of 26 percent compared to the same period in 2023.
More than five million Indians already have a nonimmigrant visa to visit the United States, and the mission is issuing thousands more every day, the embassy said.
“The US Mission to India issued more than 1 million nonimmigrant visas for the second year in a row, including a record number of visitor visas, underscoring the tremendous demand from Indians to travel to the United States for tourism, business and educational purposes.” He said while reading.
The embassy noted that the State Department completed a successful pilot program to renew H-1B visas in the United States this year.
This has allowed many professionals from India to renew their visas without leaving the United States.
She added, “This pilot program has facilitated the renewal process for thousands of applicants, and the State Department is working to establish an official renewal program in the United States in 2025.”
The US Mission to India issued tens of thousands of immigrant visas, facilitating legal family reunification and the migration of skilled professionals, according to the reading.
These immigrant visa holders became permanent residents upon arrival, adding to the already rich and large Indian diaspora community in the United States, she said.
He noted that 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 added that a new version of the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) will debut in 2024, making it easier for the embassy and consulates to contact American citizens during emergencies and send them safety and security alerts.
The increase in the processing of thousands of nonimmigrant visa applications eligible for interview waiver each week has made it faster and easier than ever for Indians to renew their nonimmigrant visas, she said.
“By streamlining processes and utilizing global consular resources, the US mission was able to redirect its own resources to focus on in-person interviews and reduce wait times for all applicants,” she said.
The mission also provided details about visas issued to Indian students.
“The number of Indian students receiving US student visas is greater than ever before. In 2024, India will become the largest sender of international students for the first time since the 2008/09 academic year with more than 331,000 students overall studying in the US,” she said.
She also added that India also remained the largest sender of international graduate students to the US for the second year.
The number of Indian graduate students rose by 19 percent to nearly 200,000 students, according to details.
“Many exchange visitors will now be able to remain in the United States and will not need to return to their home country for two years after completing their programs in the United States, providing them with more opportunities to advance their careers and education,” the embassy said.
“Removing India from the Exchange Visitor Skills List has provided greater flexibility to Indian J-1 non-immigrant visa holders,” she added.
The US mission said it remains committed to strengthening strong bilateral relations and providing exceptional consular services.
“These accomplishments over the past year are a testament to the hard work and dedication of mission staff and the enduring partnership between the United States and India,” she said.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
