New data released by the US State Department reveals a total of 411,131 F-1 visas were granted in 2022, marking an increase from the 364,204 issued in 2019, the last unaffected year before the pandemic.

Anticipating ongoing trends, the government foresees a further rise in student visa issuances in 2024 compared to the previous year.

A state department official reports that more than 393,000 F-1 visas have been issued in the current fiscal year up until the beginning of August.

Emerging from the pandemic, US consulates encountered staffing shortages and a backlog of visa applications, resulting in significant delays for applicants and a limited availability of visa appointment slots.  However, in India, the primary source of demand, student recruitment agents report a notably smoother process this year. 

Previously, some applicants were compelled to travel to other cities or countries to secure a slot or pay third-party “agents” hundreds of dollars to book appointments on their behalf. 

With the establishment of a new US consulate in Hyderabad, there is now increased capacity, reducing the need for students in the region to travel extensively for visa appointments. Additionally, appointments became available earlier in the year, alleviating the last-minute rush during the summer. 

Charges for black-market visa booking services have also decreased to around 2,000 rupees (US$24) due to reduced demand, according to Naveen Yathapu, director at the recruitment agency i20fever.

Yathapu reported a roughly 90% approval rate among his approximately 4,000 students this year. However, students facing rejection encounter lengthy wait times before securing another appointment. 

“While visa appointments were favorable for first-timers, it resulted in significant delays for second-timers,” Yathapu noted. 
US consulates have now released dates for second appointments for students previously not approved, but Yathapu believes this comes too late for many who won’t secure a visa in time for the fall intake. 
“There’s no other option; they have to wait for six months. And a few students, lacking the time to wait, seek alternatives in other countries,” he stated.  

Learning from last year’s challenges, Yathapu emphasized that preparation for studying in the US now begins much earlier. 
“Conditions have improved. Students, agencies like ours, and universities are better prepared, having identified and addressed the issues proactively,” Yathapu concluded.

2022 trends

In 2022, nearly 70% of visas (274,880) were awarded to students from Asia. Among them, Indian students received 115,115 visas, marking an increase from 80,451 in 2021. 

Conversely, Chinese students experienced a decline, with 61,894 visas issued, reflecting a decrease of 28,416 compared to the previous year due to ongoing travel restrictions. 

Other notable Asian markets included South Korea (18,066), Japan (11,460), Vietnam (12,330), Bangladesh (7,754), Taiwan (6,913), and Nepal (6,175).

Within Europe, major contributors were Germany (7,248), France (7,025), Italy (5,957), and Spain (5,518). 

About 7% of all visas were granted to African students, with Nigeria (7,547), Ghana (3,331), and Ethiopia (1,951) being the largest groups. 

Despite concerns over high visa refusal rates, these three countries experienced growth compared to the previous year, resulting in approximately 6,000 more visas granted to African students overall.

In South America, Brazil maintained its status as the largest source market with 9,806 visas, followed by Colombia with 7,038.