New Delhi:In a major diplomatic development, the US embassy in India on Monday announced that it opened an additional 2,50,000 visa appointments for Indian travellers, including tourists, skilled workers and students.
The recently released new slots will help hundreds of thousands of Indian applicants take timely interviews, facilitating the travel, which is the backbone of the people-to-people ties that underpin the US-India relationship. This comes days after Prime Minister Modi concluded his visit to the US for the Quad summit and the 79th UNGA in New York.
The US embassy announced on X (formerly Twitter), stating that "it has already surpassed the number of nonimmigrant visa applications for the second year in a row. Currently, around six million Indians hold nonimmigrant US visas, and the US mission issues thousands of visas daily."
The US Mission in India has already surpassed one million nonimmigrant visa applications for the second consecutive year. "During our student visa season this summer, we continued to process record numbers, and all first-time student applicants were able to obtain an appointment at one of our five consular sections around India. We are now focused on bringing families together, connecting businesses and facilitating tourism", the US embassy and consulates in India said.
More than 1.2 million Indians travelled to the United States till date in 2024, a 35 per cent increase over the same period in 2023. At least six million Indians already have a nonimmigrant visa to visit the United States, and each day, the Mission issues thousands more.
Commenting on the development, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti noted, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to improve and expedite the visa process and I’m proud to say that we have delivered on that promise. Our consular teams at the embassy and four consulates work tirelessly to ensure that we meet the surging demand.”
Garcetti pointed out that in 2023, the US issued over 1.4 lakh student visas and said, “Taken individually, Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai now stand as the top four student visa processing posts in the world. As a result of these surging numbers, Indian students have become the largest group of international graduate students in the United States and make up more than a quarter of the over one million foreign students studying in the United States."
India-US ties strengthened significantly over the past few decades. Trade between India and the US has grown, with both nations investing in each other's markets. The US is one of India's largest trading partners. The two countries have enhanced defence ties, conducting joint military exercises and sharing advanced technology through agreements like the COMCASA and BECA.
Both countries collaborate on regional security issues, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, countering challenges from countries like China. A strong Indian diaspora in the US fosters cultural ties, promoting collaboration in education, arts and technology. India and the US work together on global challenges, including climate change and health issues, especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The relationship is seen as a key strategic partnership for both nations, evolving through shared democratic values and mutual interests.
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