The United States saw a sharp rise in student visa denials, reaching a 10-year high in the last fiscal year (October 2023 – September 2024). According to a report, 41% of F-1 visa applications from all countries were rejected during this period. Data analyzed by The Indian Express from the US State Department revealed that the country received 6.79 lakh applications for F-1 visas, which are issued to international students enrolling in academic institutions. Unlike M-1 visas, which cater to vocational and non-academic programs, F-1 visas are specific to students pursuing higher education.
Out of the total 6.79 lakh applications, 2.79 lakh were denied—marking a significant increase from the previous fiscal year (2022-23), when 36% (2.53 lakh) of 6.99 lakh applications were turned down. This is double the rejection rate from 2014.
While the US State Department did not provide country-wise visa denial rates, previous reports indicated a 38% decline in approval rates during the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Despite the growing denial rate, the overall number of visa applications has declined over the past decade. In 2023-24, 4.01 lakh F-1 visas were issued, down from 4.45 lakh in the previous year.
A State Department spokesperson stated that visa adjudications are conducted case-by-case, following the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and federal regulations. The department also noted a change in visa data methodology from the fiscal year 2019 onward. Previously, the data was based on workload actions that were not linked to individual applications. The revised method now tracks application status changes throughout the fiscal year, providing a more accurate picture of final outcomes. As a result, individual monthly issuance reports should not be aggregated, as they may not reflect the total annual issuance accurately.
The sharp increase in student visa denials raises concerns for international students aspiring to study in the US, as stricter adjudication processes continue to impact approval rates.
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