The United States has issued a record-breaking 82,000 visas to Indian students in 2022 to date, proving it is still one of the most sought after study abroad destinations in the world.

This comes amid reports of long wait times for short-term business and tourist (B1/B2) visas to the United States, with the earliest appointments available only in mid-2024.

There are more Indian students heading to the United States than any other in the country in the world, according to Patricia Lacina, Chargé D’Affaires of the US mission to India.

The American Embassy in New Delhi and Consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai have been prioritising student visa applications for the past four months to ensure students made it to their programmes of study in time for scheduled start dates, the Embassy said in a press release.

“We are happy to see so many students were able to receive visas and reach their universities after the delays caused in previous years by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The record number of visas show that the United States remains one of the most sought after country for higher education. We celebrate the contribution Indian students make to both the countries,” she added.

The US Mission in India has issued a record-breaking 82,000 #studentvisas in 2022 to date, higher than any other country. This shows that the U.S. remains the most sought-after country for higher education,” the US Embassy India said in a tweet