US embassy opens up 2.5 lakh fresh visa appointments for Indian tourists

US visa appointments: The US Mission in India has released an additional 250,000 visa appointments which will be made available for Indians travelling to the United States. The measure would significantly decrease the long queues faced by people trying to get an appointment for a visa interview and ensure timely appointments for Indian applicants, creating opportunities for travel between the two nations.

The US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti stated that there was cooperation between India and the US because "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to improve and expedite the visa process, and I'm proud to say that we have delivered on that promise." Biden also appreciated the consular team's work who were working at the embassy and across various consulates in the country.

For the second consecutive year, the US Mission processed over one million non-immigrant visa applications in 2024. The data shows that a record number of student visa applications have been processed during this summer's student visa season, and millions will benefit in first-time applicants across the country.

Adding an extra 250,000 appointments would help cater to the growing demand for US visas and streamline travelers' preparation for the interviews. For skilled workers, professionals, and tourists, the more effective process of securing visas would better expedite the reunion of families divided by borders. These additional appointments are also meant to reduce the existing visa backlog.

Indian students will also benefit, with more than 25 per cent of all graduate students coming from abroad. In 2023, the US issued over a lakh and 40 thousand student visas to Indians, who constitute the largest share of international students.

The Indian-American community has traditionally welcomed the move, and Ajay Bhutoria, member of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), hailed it. Bhutoria, however added, noted that much more needs to be done on visa appointment backlogs and streamlining the system more.

This spurt of rise in demand for visas calls out to the increased diplomatic relations between the US and India. In fact, over 1.2 million Indians have traveled to the US in 2024, which is up 35 per cent compared to last year.