US student visa denials reach decade-high; Indian applicants see sharp drop

Highest rejection rate for F-1 visas in 10 Years

In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the United States rejected 41% of all F-1 student visa applications, the highest denial rate recorded in the past decade. This data, sourced from the US State Department, shows a significant rise compared to 2014 when the rejection rate was nearly half.

From October 2023 to September 2024, the US received 679,000 F-1 visa applications. Of these, 279,000 were denied. The previous fiscal year, 2022-23, saw a 36% rejection rate with 253,000 denials out of 699,000 applications.

Indian student visa approvals drop significantly

While the US government has not released country-specific rejection rates, The Indian Express reported a 38% decrease in student visas issued to Indian nationals between January and September 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

Only 63,973 Indian students received visas during that time in 2024, down from 103,000 in 2023. In earlier years, 93,181 visas were issued in 2022 and 65,235 in 2021.

Post-pandemic Trends and visa application volumes

Over the past decade, the number of F-1 visa applications has fluctuated. The peak was in 2014-15 with 856,000 applications. Applications declined significantly during the pandemic, dropping to 162,000 in 2019-20. Though volumes increased post-pandemic, 2023-24 saw a minor 3% decrease from the previous year.

The number of approved F-1 visas fell from 445,000 in 2022-23 to 401,000 in 2023-24. This represents the largest absolute number of denials in a single year over the last ten years.

Overview of the F-1 visa

The F-1 visa is designated for international students pursuing academic programs in the United States. It differs from the M-1 visa, which applies to vocational and non-academic studies. Over 90% of student visas issued by the US fall under the F-1 category.

State Dept’s explanation on rising denials

A spokesperson for the US Department of State stated that all visa decisions are made individually under existing immigration laws and federal regulations. The spokesperson also explained that since 2019, the method for calculating visa data has changed, focusing more accurately on final application outcomes throughout the fiscal year.

This revised method tracks visa applications over time, adjusting status updates as needed, which may result in small changes to previously published data.

The department declined to release data on country-specific visa refusal rates, noting that such detailed statistics are not made publicly available.

Indian students still lead among the International Cohort

Despite the drop in approvals, Indian students remain a dominant presence in US higher education. According to the Open Doors 2024 report, Indian students constituted 29.4% of all international students in the US in 2023-24. For the first time, their numbers surpassed those of Chinese students, reaching a record high of 331,000 enrolled Indian students.

Global shift: Other countries also tighten student visa rules

The US is not alone in implementing stricter policies. In 2024, Canada introduced a cap on international study permits, reducing the number by 35% compared to the previous year. This decision was made due to concerns about housing and public services. Canada also plans a further 10% reduction in 2025.

The United Kingdom has also implemented restrictions, prohibiting international students from bringing dependents. This has caused a 40% drop in international student enrollment in UK universities.

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