America issues record breaking VISA to Indians in 2023, number reaches 1.4 million

The United States processed a record-breaking number of visas in 2023 and cut visitor visa appointment wait times in India by 75%. US Embassies and Consulates in India processed 1.4 million visas in 2023, meeting unprecedented demand across all visa categories. The consular team issued more than 140,000 visas to Indian students in 2023, more than any other country in the world, setting a world record for the third consecutive year.

The embassy reported a 60 percent increase in applicants compared to 2022. The US Embassy claimed that Indians represent one out of every ten US visa applicants worldwide. Visitor visas (B1/B2) have returned to represent the second largest number of applications in U.S. Mission history – more than 700,000. The US Embassy and Consulates responded to this demand through a three-month staffing surge in Mumbai at the beginning of the year.

The embassy said improvements in process and investment in staffing have reduced appointment wait times for visitor visas across the country from an average of 1,000 days to just 250 days. Waiting time is minimum in all other categories. The embassy highlighted that cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai now rank among the top four student visa processing positions in the world.