Over 5 million Indians currently hold American visas: US envoy Garcetti

Eric Garcetti, outgoing US Ambassador to India, highlighted a 60% surge in visa issuance, with over 5 million Indians now holding American visas, as he reflected on strengthening bilateral ties. (SAI Bureau) The United States Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, on Monday revealed that over 5 million Indians currently hold American visas, noting that the issuance has surged by more than 60 per cent ever since he was appointed in New Delhi. "Since becoming Ambassador, we have increased our visas by more than 60 per cent, eliminated wait times for all visa types except for first-time visitor visas. For the second year in a row, we issued more than 1 million non-immigrant visas, including a record number of visitor visas. In fact, more than 5 million Indians currently hold United States visas,"Garcetti said while addressing an event at Fulbright House in New Delhi. Garcetti, whose term as the US ambassador to India is ending soon, also noted thatIndia has become the number one source of higher education students in America."I am proud that since becoming ambassador, India has become the number one source of higher education students in the USA. One in four foreign students studying in American universities are proudly Indian students," he said. Speaking about his tenure in New Delhi, Garcetti expressed pride in his role in advancing US-India relations. "My time serving as the United States Ambassador to India has put me at the frontline to witness and help drive how compelling and consequential this relationship now is," he stated. He also emphasised the shared purpose of the partnership, saying, "This last speech is about you, about us. People are connecting across oceans and cultures for a common purpose to better the lives of our two nations and the world we inhabit". Eric Garcetti, a political appointee of President Joe Biden who is nearing the end of his tenure, addressed concerns about India-US relations during his final public lecture in a series of four discussions on bilateral ties. His remarks came amid growing apprehensions in India about potential shifts in US immigration policies under the incoming Trump administration. The H-1B visa program, which facilitates the entry of skilled foreign workers into the US, has drawn scrutiny for allegedly impacting American workers' job prospects. Indian nationals account for over 70 per cent of all H-1B visas issued.