Indian students, representing the largest contingent of international students in the United States, are experiencing a notable decline in the approval of study visas. According to data from the U.S. State Department, there has been a 38% reduction in the issuance of F-1 visas to Indian nationals from January to September 2024, in comparison to the same period in 2023. This year, only 64,008 Indian students were granted F-1 visas, a significant decrease from the 103,495 visas issued during the corresponding timeframe last year.
These figures represent the lowest level since 2020, a year marked by the pandemic’s disruptions, which saw only 6,646 visas issued.Although the 2020 statistics were an outlier, the following years demonstrated a robust recovery, with 93,181 visas issued in 2022 and 65,235 in 2021.Nevertheless, the sharp decline in 2024 indicates a reversal of this positive trend. It is important to note that this decrease in visa approvals is not limited to Indian students; Chinese nationals, who constitute the second-largest group of international students in the U.S., also experienced an 8% drop in F-1 visa approvals in 2024.
