Sharp Drop in US University Visas

The United States issued nearly one-fifth fewer student visas this August compared to last year, following a stringent immigration campaign led by President Donald Trump.

Newly released data shows a steep decline in visas granted to Indian students, with China surpassing India to become the largest source of international students in US universities.

According to the International Trade Commission, the US issued 313,138 student visas in August, the peak month for university enrollments, marking a 19.1% decline from August 2024.

India saw the sharpest decrease, with a 44.5% drop in student visas issued compared to last year. Meanwhile, visas for Chinese students also fell but at a slower rate. The US granted 86,647 visas to students from mainland China, more than double the number issued to Indian nationals.

These figures do not include students already residing in the US under previously granted visas.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has prioritised restricting immigration and targeting universities, which his administration views as strongholds of liberal influence.

In June, Secretary of State Marco Rubio temporarily suspended the issuance of student visas and instructed US embassies to review applicants’ social media accounts. Thousands of student visas were later revoked, many reportedly over criticism of Israel, as Rubio cited authority to deny entry to individuals opposing US foreign policy interests.

The Trump administration also tightened rules affecting Indian applicants by limiting the ability to apply for visas outside their home countries, even when faced with significant backlogs.

Additionally, Trump imposed steep new fees on H-1B visas, widely used by Indian technology professionals, and took several steps that strained US-India relations, a stark contrast to previous administrations that viewed India as a strategic counterbalance to China.

Despite this, Trump expressed a desire to increase the number of Chinese students to strengthen ties between the two superpowers, contradicting earlier statements by Rubio, who had vowed to firmly revoke Chinese student visas over concerns of intellectual property misuse.