The quantity of U.S. student visas allocated to Indian nationals has significantly decreased in recent months, reaching its lowest point for the March–May timeframe since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as per the latest data released by the U.S. State Department.A total of 9,906 F-1 (academic) visas were issued to Indian students from March to May 2025 — representing a substantial 27% drop compared to the same timeframe in 2024, when nearly 15,000 visas were granted. These numbers also fall short of the 10,894 visas issued during the same period in 2022, a time when global travel was just beginning to recover from the disruptions caused by the pandemic.This decline occurs during what is generally the peak period for processing student visas, as thousands of Indian students get ready to commence their classes in the U.S. for the upcoming Fall semester.While some have attributed the significant decrease to President Donald Trump’s return to office earlier this year, the trend seems to have begun prior to that. In February 2025, the first complete month of Trump’s presidency, the issuance of F-1 visas to Indian applicants plummeted by 30% year-on-year — falling to 411 from 590 in February 2024.
The U.S. Embassy in India has recognized the slowdown, citing more stringent vetting and security protocols as the cause of the delays.The transition from the Biden administration to Trump has also resulted in changes to policies. In June, the Trump administration instructed U.S. consulates globally to suspend new interviews for student and exchange visitor visas as part of broader updates to social media and security screening processes. This two-week suspension was lifted this month, with consular services gradually resuming.Despite the recent decline, the long-term outlook remains optimistic. According to the U.S. State Department, the number of Indian F-1 visas has steadily increased from approximately 42,000 in FY 2018 to 86,000 in FY 2024. In fact, Indian students surpassed their Chinese peers in 2024, becoming the largest group of international students in the U.S., as reported by the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Report.Still, the drop from the 1.31 lakh student visas issued in 2023 and 1.15 lakh in 2022 suggests the current decline may be part of a broader slowdown — one likely influenced by shifting policies, increased scrutiny, and evolving international perceptions of the U.S. as a study destination.
