38% Decline In Indian Students Getting F-1 Visas In 2024

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – Indian students, who are the largest group of international students in the United States, are facing a significant drop in study visa approvals. Data from the U.S. State Department reveals a 38% decline in F-1 visas issued to Indian nationals between January and September 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

This year, only 64,008 Indian students received F-1 visas, a steep fall from 103,495 issued during the same timeframe last year. The numbers mark the lowest since 2020, when the pandemic caused widespread disruptions, resulting in just 6,646 visas being issued during that period.

While the 2020 figures were an anomaly, subsequent years saw a strong rebound, with 93,181 visas issued to Indian students in 2022 and 65,235 in 2021. However, 2024’s sharp decline reverses this recovery trend.

The drop in visas is not exclusive to Indian students. Chinese nationals, who form the second-largest international student cohort in the U.S., also saw an 8% decrease in F-1 visa approvals in 2024.

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