Days after PM Modi’s visit, US opens 250,000 additional visa slots for Indians

The US Mission to India announced the opening of 250,000 new visa appointment slots on Monday — days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the US and held meetings with President Joe Biden. The new lots will be allocated to Indian travellers applying under various categories including tourists, skilled workers, and students.

“The new slots will help hundreds of thousands of Indian applicants take timely interviews, facilitating the travel which is the backbone of the people-to-people ties that underpin the US-India relationship. The US Mission to India has already surpassed one million non-immigrant visa applications for the second consecutive year. We are now focused on bringing families together, connecting businesses and facilitating tourism,” read a post shared by the US Embassy in India.

"More than 1.2 million Indians have traveled to the United States year to date in 2024 — a 35% increase over the same period in 2023. At least six million Indians already have a nonimmigrant visa to visit the United States, and each day, the Mission issues thousands more.

The update came mere days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the US for the Quad summit and held bilateral talks with President Joe Biden. The two leaders had discussed the US-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership and stressed the need to “forge deeper bonds” between the two countries.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden set an ambitious goal to improve and expedite the visa process and I am proud to say that we have delivered on that promise. Our consular teams at the embassy and four consulates work tirelessly to ensure that we meet the surging demand," said US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti.

The US visa processing time has been reduced by more than 75% over the past two years — with the average falling from 1000 days to a significantly more manageable 250 days across India by January.

(With inputs from agencies)