US mission gears up for record Indian student visa applications

Consular officers from the US mission in India are preparing for a surge in student visa applications in 2023. This week, on Wednesday, they conducted interviews with an impressive early pool of 3,500 applicants across key cities such as New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai.

Brendan Mullarkey, the acting minister counsellor for consular affairs in India, highlighted the significant achievement of issuing a record-breaking 1,25,000 student visas to Indians last year, surpassing any other nationality. In fact, approximately one in every five student visas granted globally was for Indian students. Mullarkey further expressed that this year, they aim to surpass their previous numbers by conducting interviews with an even larger number of students.

The interviews conducted on Wednesday marked the seventh annual Student Visa Day celebrated nationwide. This event serves as a reminder of the enduring educational connections between the United States and India.

Currently, over 2,00,000 Indian students are pursuing their studies at various American academic institutions, accounting for more than 20% of the total international student population in the US.