US Mission in India Opens 250,000 Additional Visa Appointments

The US Mission in India has made an additional 250,000 visa appointments available for Indian travellers, including tourists, skilled workers, and students. This initiative supports the US-India relationship by facilitating timely travel. The announcement follows a significant increase in Indian travel to the US, with more than 1.2 million Indians visiting in 2024.

The US Mission in India announced on Monday the availability of an additional 250,000 visa appointments for Indian travellers, including tourists, skilled workers, and students. This move aims to ease the visa process, strengthening the people-to-people ties that are vital to the US-India relationship, officials said.

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden had set ambitious goals to streamline visa processes. 'I am proud to say that we have delivered on that promise,' Garcetti noted, adding that consular teams are working tirelessly to meet the rising demand.

In 2024, over 1.2 million Indians traveled to the United States, marking a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The US Mission to India has surpassed one million nonimmigrant visa applications for the second consecutive year, with record numbers during the student visa season. The Mission continues to focus on reuniting families, connecting businesses, and fostering tourism. 'At least six million Indians already hold nonimmigrant visas to visit the US, and we issue thousands more each day,' the Mission stated.