Visa woes hit Indian students hard ahead of summer intake

Hyderabad: As thousands of Indian students prepare for the US summer semester, many find themselves stuck, repeatedly refreshing visa portals with little luck. Technical glitches, lengthy wait times, and a massive shortage of appointment slots have upended travel plans.Between Jan and March 2025, Indian travel to the US dropped by 9% compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from the US International Trade Administration.In early 2024, about 1.2 lakh Indians flew to the US. This year, that number has slipped to just over one lakh. Travel consultants blame the spiralling "visa mess."F1 visa wait times now stretch beyond two months. Mumbai leads with a wait time of 82 days, followed by Kolkata (80), Hyderabad (58), and Chennai (35). "Chennai shows availability, but only a few slots open at a time — usually for the next day," said Mahendra Babu, who is planning to pursue master's in Data Science in New York. "I've been waiting a month. I need to leave in May, and I'm running out of time."Randheer Keeravaru, also bound for a Data Science programme, echoed the same concerns: "I have my I20, but can't find dates. My consultant has no clue either."City-based consultants say April is crucial for student departures, but many are stranded. "Jan intake was bad, and this is no better. Over 70% of visa applications are getting rejected. Our branch alone has 300–400 students waiting," said Arvind Manduva from I20 Fever, a registered consultancy.Tourist and business visas are even worse. Chennai's B1/B2 wait time is 407 days, followed by Mumbai (151), Hyderabad (140), and Kolkata (114).Abdul Majid Faheem of the Travel Agents Federation (AP & Telangana) said only half of 52 visa counters are operational, worsening the backlog. "Between May and Aug, only student visas are processes, but this time even F1 slots are scarce and waiting periods are long," he said.