New Delhi: According to an official release, the US Mission in India issued a record-breaking 82,000 student visas in 2022, more than any other nation and accounting for approximately 20% of all international students enrolled in US universities.
"We are happy to see so many students were able to receive visas and reach their universities after the delays caused in previous years by the COVID-19 pandemic. We issued over 82,000 student visas this summer alone, more than in any previous year," US Charge d'Affaires Patricia Lacina said on September 6.
To ensure that as many qualified students as possible arrived at their programmes of study in time for the scheduled start dates, the US Embassy in New Delhi and its four consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai gave priority to the processing of student visa applications from May to August, ANI reported.
"This shows that the United States remains for most Indian families the most sought-after country for higher education. It also highlights the important contributions Indian students make to both our countries as they build life-long connections with American peers to maintain and grow international partnerships, working collectively to address current and future global challenges," Charge d'Affaires said further.
According to the statement, over 20% of all international students studying in the United States are Indian, with the Open Doors report from 2021 showing 167,582 Indian students during the academic year 2020–2021.
"We are thrilled to have done our part to help Indian students pursue a top-notch education. Hopefully, there are a lot of happy students and parents out there. International student mobility is central to U.S. diplomacy, and nowhere is the contribution of students bigger than in India. Here's wishing this year's group of students the best of luck in their studies!" Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs Don Heflin has said.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the US has continued to be open and friendly to overseas students. In order to ensure that opportunities and resources for international students continued to be robust, the US government and U.S. higher education institutions implemented efforts to safely welcome international students in person, online, and via hybrid learning techniques in 2020.