ADVERTISEMENTs
India records 27 percent drop in US student visas, largest since COVID
This comes amid a renewed immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, which has introduced stricter screening protocols for international students.
-
1749497506.png)
Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 09, Jul 2025
- 10:43 EDT
- 143
.jpg)
Stock image / Shutterstock
The number of student visas issued to Indians for studying in the United States fell by 27 percent between March and May this year, marking the slowest start to the visa season since the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the latest US State Department data, only 9,906 F-1 visas were granted during this period—down from 13,478 in the same months last year and even lower than the 10,894 issued in 2022, when international travel had just resumed.
Also Read: Global immigration curbs narrow paths for Indian students and workers
The March to May window typically sees high visa activity as students prepare for the Fall semester beginning August or September. This year’s decline comes amid a renewed immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, which has introduced stricter screening protocols for international students.
In late May, the US State Department issued a cable pausing new interview scheduling for F, M (vocational), and J (exchange) visa applicants. Between May 27 and June 18, appointments were suspended globally as embassies were instructed to enforce the new requirements.
The directive, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aimed to implement mandatory social media screening. Applicants were told to make public their social media accounts from the past five years.
The US Embassy in New Delhi publicly advised Indian applicants to comply with these changes, prompting concerns about delays and backlogs.
The policy shift has also resulted in visa cancellations across at least 32 US states. Reports indicate that some of these revocations involved Indian students and were linked to pro-Palestinian protests or past legal issues, such as DUIs. In other cases, no reasons were communicated.
Many students have begun proactively sanitizing their digital presence—removing posts, unfollowing accounts, and tightening privacy settings—in hopes of avoiding rejection under the expanded vetting framework.
Despite the slowdown, Indian students remain the largest international student group in the US. According to Open Doors 2024, they surpassed Chinese students during the 2023–24 academic year to become the top contributors to foreign enrolments.
However, the overall trend in 2024 has been downward. Between January and September last year, Indian students received 64,008 F-1 visas, down from 103,000 in 2023 and 93,181 in 2022.
Related
.JPG)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login