With Fall Semester Approaching, Lawmakers Sound Alarm Over Indian Student Visa Delays

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC — With the fall academic term fast approaching and thousands of Indian students still struggling to secure U.S. visas, a group of 14 members of Congress has urged the State Department to take urgent corrective action to resolve the persistent backlogs that threaten to derail international education and damage America’s global reputation.

In a letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on July 24, the lawmakers — including Indian American representatives Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Shri Thanedar — expressed serious concern over the visa processing delays affecting Indian students.

Led by Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC), the group highlighted the critical contributions of Indian students, who represent the largest group of international students in the U.S. and contribute an estimated $9 billion annually to the American economy.

“We are deeply dismayed by the ongoing visa delays that could prevent many bright Indian students from continuing their education in the United States,” the letter stated. “Our universities thrive on the global talent they attract — and right now, that pipeline is under threat.”

The appeal was addressed to Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter and included 13 Democrats and one Republican — Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska — demonstrating growing bipartisan concern. The letter follows a nearly month-long freeze in student visa appointments by the Trump administration earlier this summer.

The website of the U.S. Embassy in India continues to warn that timely visa appointments cannot be guaranteed, compounding anxiety for students who are reportedly checking online portals multiple times daily in hopes of securing interview slots.

The Indian government has reportedly raised the issue with U.S. authorities in New Delhi and Washington, as Indian media reports highlight widespread frustration. Some education consultancies anticipate up to an 80% drop in outbound students to the U.S. this year.

Data from May 2025 reflects the toll: F-1 student visa issuances to Indians were down 41% year-over-year, while overall global F-1 visas fell 22%.

With competition from countries like the UK and Canada intensifying, lawmakers and education leaders are calling for swift intervention before September brings further enrollment fallout.