The US has issued more than one million non-immigrant visas to Indians for the second consecutive year

For the second consecutive year, the US has granted more than one million non-immigrant visas to Indians, including a record number of visitor visas, demonstrating the enormous demand for travel to the US for business, education, and tourism.

Over two million Indians visited the US in the first eleven months of 2024, a 26% increase over the same period in 2023, according to a statement from the US Embassy and Consulates in India. Over the previous four years, the number of Indian visitors to the US has climbed fivefold.

The US Embassy in India said, “Over five million Indians already have a nonimmigrant visa to visit the United States and each day the Mission issues thousands more.”

This year, the US Department of State successfully concluded a pilot program to renew H-1B visas in the US. According to a statement from the US Embassy in India, this made it possible for a large number of Indian workers in specialty occupations to extend their visas without having to leave the country. For thousands of applicants, this pilot scheme expedited the renewal procedure, and in 2025, the Department of State plans to legally establish a renewal service headquartered in the United States.

Tens of thousands of immigrant visas were granted by the US Mission to India, allowing qualified people to migrate and allowing for the legal reunion of families. Upon their arrival, these immigrant visa holders became permanent residents, contributing to the already substantial and wealthy Indian diaspora in the United States, according to the statement.

The statement claims that more than 24,000 passports and other consular services were issued to US nationals who were visiting or residing in India by the US Mission to India. In 2024, the embassy and consulates launched an updated version of the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) that facilitates communication and provides safety and security warnings to U.S. nationals in times of emergency.

Indians may now renew their nonimmigrant visas more quickly and easily than ever before, the statement said, thanks to the increased processing of thousands of interview waiver-eligible nonimmigrant visa applications each week. All candidates now have shorter wait times thanks to the US Mission’s ability to concentrate its own resources on in-person interviews by optimizing operations and using international consular services.

The statement said that more Indian students currently have US student visas than ever before. “Many exchange visitors will now be able to stay in the United States and not need to return home for two years after completing their programs in the United States, giving them more opportunities to further their careers and education,” the US Embassy in India said. These Indian J-1 nonimmigrant visa holders now have more freedom after India was taken from the Exchange Visitors Skills List.

The US Mission to India stated its commitment to establishing solid bilateral ties and provide first-rate consular assistance. The statement said, “These achievements over the past year are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Mission’s staff and the enduring partnership between the United States and India.”