The US has issued over a million non-immigrant visas to Indians, underscoring the huge demand for travel to the US for tourism, business and education.

On Friday, the US Mission to India said that in 2024, it issued more than one million non-immigrant visas for the second year in a row, including a record number of visitor visas.

“Increased processing of thousands of interview waiver-eligible nonimmigrant visa applications each week made it quicker and easier than ever for Indians to renew their non-immigrant visas,” the US Mission to India said in a statement on Friday.

“By streamlining operations and utilising global consular resources, the US Mission has been able to redirect its own resources to focus on in-person interviews, reducing wait times for all applicants.”

According to the US Mission to India, in the past four years, visitor numbers from India have increased by five times.

Besides, more than two million Indians travelled to the US in the first eleven months of 2024, representing a 26 per cent increase over the same period in 2023. 

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“Over five million Indians already have a non-immigrant visa to visit the US and each day the Mission issues thousands more,” the US Mission to India said.

Furthermore, the US Mission to India said the Department of State completed a successful pilot programme to renew ‘H-1B’ visas in the US this year. 

“This allowed many speciality occupation workers from India to renew their visas without leaving the United States. This pilot programme streamlined the renewal process for thousands of applicants, and the Department of State is working to formally establish a US-based renewal programme in 2025,” the statement said.

As per the US Mission to India, tens of thousands of immigrant visas were also issued, facilitating legal family reunification and the migration of skilled professionals. 

“These immigrant visa holders became permanent residents upon their arrival, adding to the already rich and sizable Indian diaspora community in the United States,” the statement said.

“The US Mission to India also provided more than 24,000 passports and other consular services to American citizens living and travelling in India.”

A new version of the ‘Smart Traveler Enroll meant Program’ debuted in 2024, the US Mission said, making it easier for the embassy and consulates to contact American citizens during emergencies and send them safety and security alerts.

Student visas

In terms of student visas, India became the top sender of international students for the first time since the 2008-09 academic year, with more than 331,000 students overall studying in the US. 

India also remained the largest sender of international graduate students in the US for the second year; Indian graduate student numbers increased by 19 per cent to reach almost two lakh students.

“Many exchange visitors will now be able to remain in the US and not need to return home for two years after completing their programmes in the US, offering them more opportunities to further their careers and education.”

“The removal of India from the ‘Exchange Visitors Skills List’ has provided greater flexibility for these Indian ‘J-1’ non-immigrant visa holders.”