The demand for visas across all categories witnessed an exceptional surge, recording a remarkable 60% increase in applications compared with 2022.

Hyderabad emerged as one of the top four student visa processing posts in the world, along with Mumbai, New Delhi, and Chennai, while the U.S. Consular Team in India has set unprecedented visa records in 2023.

The demand for visas across all categories witnessed an exceptional surge, recording a remarkable 60% increase in applications compared with 2022. Hyderabad played a pivotal role in this surge, contributing significantly to India’s representation, with one in every 10 U.S. visa applicants originating from the country.

The U.S. consular team in India issued over 140,000 student visas in 2023, setting a record for the third consecutive year. Consequently, Indian students now constitute the largest group of international graduate students in the United States, representing over a quarter of the one million foreign students studying in the country.

Maintaining a focus on employment visas, Consular Team India streamlined processes by consolidating most petition-based visa processing in Chennai and Hyderabad. This strategic move resulted in the efficient processing of over 380,000 employment visas for Indians and their family members in 2023, with minimal appointment wait times. Looking ahead to 2024, a pilot programme will enable eligible H1B holders to renew their visas in the United States, further simplifying the process for this group.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)