The US visa application process for students will start in mid-May. The first batch of appointments will be available then. The US Consulate General in Hyderabad announced this on Twitter. More appointments will be available later. Last year, 1.25 lakh visa applications from students in India were processed. This summer, the US aims to increase visa interview appointments for Indian students by 30%.
In February, the State Department announced that ‘F’ and ‘M’ categories of student visas can now be issued up to a year in advance. Earlier, international students could only apply 120 days before their study programme started. Now they can submit their application 365 days in advance.
The State Department also announced an increase in the fees for student visas. From May 30, non-petition based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas will increase from $160 to $185 (Rs 15,140 for Indians).
