15 US lawmakers urge state department to resolve visa delays for Indian students

A bipartisan group of 15 Members of the US Congress has written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, raising serious concerns over the ongoing delays in student visa appointments for Indian nationals.

With fall semesters at the US universities approaching, lawmakers are urging the State Department to take immediate action to prevent thousands of Indian students from missing their academic programs in the United States.

In their letter, the lawmakers highlighted that Indian students constitute the largest group of international students in the US and contribute approximately $9 billion annually to the American economy.

“We are dismayed at the possibility that many of these bright young individuals may be blocked—due to limited appointment availability and scheduling delays—from continuing their education and research in the United States,” the letter stated.

The Members of Congress have posed two direct questions to Secretary Rubio, seeking a written response by August 8–

• What specific steps are being taken to fully restore student visa processing in India in time for the fall semester?
• What strategies are in place to manage the current backlog and ensure fair access to appointments for all eligible students?

The lawmakers emphasized the vital role Indian students play in the research ecosystem of US universities and called student exchange ‘a key pillar of US-India strategic cooperation’.