NEW DELHI: Thousands of Indian students, who are waiting for interviews for their US F-1 visas, can expect the dates to become available in the coming weeks.
“We have already released tens of thousands of appointments and we have tens of thousands of additional appointments for July and August that will be released soon. Applicants should aim to check our website once or twice per day for this upcoming appointment release,” a US Embassy official told The Times of India.
Specific details about when more student interview dates will become available are, however, not known. “We cannot give out a specific date, but the next large batch of appointments will be released in the coming weeks,” the US Embassy official said.
Students applying for US F-1 visas are allowed to apply from the country where they are physically present or resident; whichever is most convenient. However, if an applicant is applying outside their country of origin or residence, they should be aware that it may be more difficult to demonstrate their ties and qualifications for the visa, the US Embassy official explained.
The US diplomatic mission in India expects to interview more students than ever, according to a recent press release. Brendan Mullarkey, the acting minister counselor for consular affairs in India, said last week that a record-breaking 125,000 Indians were issued US student visas last year, which is more than what was issued to any other nationality.
“The US mission is very supportive of F-1 visa applications. Many students are getting visa appointments. The US mission and Education USA are very active on social media and conducting pre-departure orientation sessions to address student queries,” Shishir Kumar Upadhyaya, principal adviser, strategic and global initiatives, University of Southern California, said.
He added that students who are planning to join classes at USC in Fall 2023 and are waiting for their student visas should be patient and continue looking for interview dates since they are likely to be released in bulk soon. “I am not receiving distress messages or calls from students and parents this year about non-availability of slots and I feel that they will all get interview appointments,” he said.
Upadhyaya advises Indian students who are going for F-1 visa interviews to be prepared to answer questions regarding why they are going to a particular university and in a particular programme. “Usually, visa officers don’t have the time to read all documents, and applicants should be prepared to explain the reason for going to the US,” he said.

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