Good news for Indians! US consulate considers new visa application centres in Andhra Pradesh as demand rises

The United States is contemplating the establishment of a new visa application centre (VAC) in either Visakhapatnam or Vijayawada, according to Rebekah Drame, the US Consul General, according to Business Standard. Currently, there are five VACs operating in India, located in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi. For residents of Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, the nearest VAC is in Hyderabad.

This potential expansion comes in response to data from the US consulate in Hyderabad, which indicates that nearly 56% of Indian students heading to the US last year originated from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Specifically, 34% were from Telangana and 22% from Andhra Pradesh.

During a visit to Visakhapatnam on Tuesday, Drame and Alexander McLaren, the public affairs officer at the Hyderabad consulate, revealed a significant increase in US student enrolments from India, surging by 300% compared to the previous year. Although the exact number of students from the two states was not disclosed, estimates suggest that around 180,000 students from these regions may be pursuing education in the US. In total, India sent nearly 330,000 students to the US in 2023, solidifying its status as the leading country of origin for international students.

"The demand for US visas in India is insatiable," Drame stated, noting that last year, the consulate processed 1.4 million visa applications. "No other US consulate globally matches this volume." To address this growing demand, the Hyderabad consulate has been expanding its operations, with staff numbers more than doubling over the past year and a half. Drame projected that the team would nearly triple in size by early 2025. Currently, the consulate processes approximately 1,600 visa applications daily, with expectations to increase that figure to 2,500 by next year.

During the summer visa season of 2024, the consulate conducted over 47,000 student visa interviews, a notable rise from 35,000 in 2023.

In addition to the potential new VAC, Drame highlighted the success of the H-1B domestic revalidation pilot program launched earlier this year, which facilitated 10,000 appointments for H-1B visa holders in the US, allowing them to renew their visas without returning to India. "We are confident this will become a regular program next year," she added.

The recently released Open Doors Report 2024 further emphasises India's prominent role in US higher education, reporting that India is the leading country of origin for international students, with over 331,602 currently enrolled.

The report also indicates that Indian students led graduate enrolments for the second consecutive year, with a 19% increase to 196,567 pursuing master’s and PhD programs. Undergraduate enrolments rose by 13% to 36,053, while non-degree enrolments saw a decline of 28% to 1,426.