Parliament Question: F-1 visa for Indian students

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4399 ANSWERED ON - 02/04/2026 F-1 VISA FOR INDIAN STUDENTS

4399. SHRI JAVED ALI KHAN

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-

(a) whether F-1 visas to USA for Indian students have dropped up to 69 per cent during June-July 2025 in comparison to June-July 2024, as per the recent data released by the US Department of State;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) the details of number of F-1 visas granted to Indian students during the above mentioned period during 2022 and 2023, separately;

(d) whether the Ministry has taken up the matter of F-1 visa denial to Indian students during 2025 with the US Government;

(e) if so, the details and outcomes thereof; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a to f) According to the U.S. Department of State data on non-immigrant visas, the total number of F-1 visas issued to Indian students for the period June-July 2025 has seen a 69% decline compared to the same period in 2024.

Placed below is the comparative data of F-1 visa issuance for the period June-July for the years 2022 to 2025.

Period F-1 Visas for Indian nationals % growth or decline June-July 2022 62,229 + 54.81% June-July 2023 72,027 + 15.74% June-July 2024 41,336 - 42.61% June-July 2025 12,776 - 69.09% [Source: U.S. Department of State data on non-immigrant visas] On 18 June 2025, U.S. Department of State issued a Press Release titled, ‘Announcement of Ex- panded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants.’ The said press release mentions that the U.S.

uses all available information in its visa screening and vetting process to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security. The current U.S. Administration has also announced that a U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right.

Under the new guidance, the U.S. would conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J non-immigrant classifications. To facilitate this vetting, the U.S. has required all applicants to adjust the privacy settings on their social media profiles to “public.” The new U.S. guidance mentions that every visa 1adjudication is a national security decision and calls on all applicants to credibly establish their eli- gibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.

Furthermore, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi in an advisory of June 2025 conveyed that grant of a student visa does not guarantee the continued stay of the student in the United States. They confirmed that the visa monitoring continues post-approval and rule breaking can lead to revocation of visa and deportation. Such violations may include:

 Discontinuing academic programmes without notification;  Minor legal infractions such as driving without a licence or traffic violations;  Driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI);

 Overstaying visa validity; or  Engaging in activities inconsistent with visa conditions.

The above measures, including increased scrutiny and compliance requirements, have had an impact on the number of U.S. F-1 visas issued to Indian nationals.

While issuance of visa and the related policy and processes are the sovereign prerogative of the con- cerned state, Government of India has been regularly raising all issues being confronted by Indian students with the U.S. authorities at various levels. The Ministry of External Affairs continues to remain engaged with the relevant U.S. authorities to promote mutually advantageous and secure mobility frameworks that allow for streamlining avenues for legal mobility of students and profes- sionals.

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