The United States mission in India announced on Friday that it has issued over one million nonimmigrant visas to Indian nationals for the second year in a row. This achievement includes a record number of visitor visas, reflecting the growing demand among Indians for travel to the United States for tourism, business, and education. The announcement underscores the robust bilateral relationship and increasing mobility between the two nations.
Visitor numbers from India have surged dramatically in recent years, with over two million Indians traveling to the US in the first 11 months of 2024—a 26% increase compared to the same period in 2023. In the past four years, the number of Indian visitors to the US has multiplied fivefold. Currently, over five million Indians hold nonimmigrant visas, and thousands more are issued daily by the US mission in India.
The US Embassy highlighted significant advancements in visa services, including the completion of a successful pilot program to renew H-1B visas within the United States. This program allowed many Indian specialty occupation workers to renew their visas without leaving the country, streamlining the process for thousands. The State Department is now working to formally establish a US-based H-1B visa renewal system by 2025, which is expected to benefit a large number of Indians.
The mission has also focused on enhancing consular services for American citizens in India, issuing more than 24,000 passports and providing critical services to Americans living and traveling in the country. A new version of the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), launched in 2024, has improved communication between the US mission and American citizens during emergencies, offering safety and security alerts with greater efficiency.
Indian students have also contributed significantly to visa growth. In 2024, India became the top sender of international students to the US for the first time since the 2008/2009 academic year, with over 331,000 students studying in the US. Indian graduate student numbers rose by 19% to nearly 200,000, solidifying India’s position as the largest sender of international graduate students for the second consecutive year.
The removal of India from the Exchange Visitors Skills List further eased restrictions for Indian J-1 visa holders, allowing them greater flexibility to remain in the US and pursue career and educational opportunities. The US mission emphasized its commitment to fostering strong ties with India and enhancing consular services to support this growing partnership.
