With the US fall academic season weeks away, a shortage of timely student-visa appointments has emerged as a growing concern for international students, including Indians, with 30 US senators now pressing the state department to explain delays in processing F, M and J visas. These are visas for academic studies, vocational courses and exchange programmes, respectively.In a letter dated Aug 11, senator Alex Padilla and 29 other senators told US secretary of state Marco Rubio that they were hearing from students and other stakeholders that “no timely visa appointments are available” at several US embassies and consulates.The senators said delays could prevent students and exchange visitors from reaching the US in time for the beginning of the academic year. They have asked the state department to explain how interview appointments are being allocated, where student and exchange visas rank among the department’s priorities, and whether F, M and J applicants have been deprioritised.“We urge the state department to extend interview waivers for vetted returning student applicants; ensure adequate staffing for timely visa vetting and processing; and meaningfully engage with stakeholders to promote greater transparency,” states the letter.The letter also seeks data on staffing levels, average visa-processing times at the five posts processing the largest number of student and exchange-visitor visas, and the number of applications refused following enhanced vetting.The intervention comes at a sensitive time for Indian students heading to US universities for the fall 2026 intake. While Open Doors data does not provide a country-wise analysis of new student enrolments, the Indian contingent has been traditionally significant in numbers. During the academic year 2024-25, the US housed 3.6 lakh students from India.Immigration attorneys state that staffing crunches and rigorous interviews, which entail checking of social media accounts, have led to unprecedented delays. Online discussions among Indian F-1 applicants indicate that securing an appointment has now become a significant concern.
