Indian and Chinese nationals received significantly fewer F-1 student visas during the peak 2025 visa processing season, according to a report by Times Now, citing findings from the Center for Immigration
Studies (CIS).
The report said the decline could have implications for US university enrolment, the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme and the future international workforce.
Citing the Center for Immigration Studies, the report said US consulates issued 22,149 F-1 student visas to Indian nationals between May and August 2025.
According to the report, this marked a 62 per cent decline compared with the 58,694 visas issued during the same period in 2024.
It was also 60 per cent lower than the average of 55,717 visas issued during the corresponding May-August periods across 2017-19 and 2021-24.
The report noted that the May-August period is closely watched because most student visas are issued before the start of the academic year, making it a key indicator of international student enrolment trends.
Chinese Students Also See Significant Drop
The report, citing CIS data, said 40,034 F-1 visas were issued to Chinese nationals during the same four-month period in 2025.
This represented a 34 per cent decline from the 61,075 visas issued during May-August 2024 and was 46 per cent below the average recorded during the corresponding periods between 2017-19 and 2021-24.
According to the report, the decline in visa issuance for both India and China is being closely monitored by universities and prospective international students ahead of the academic year.
Report Flags Possible Impact On Enrolment And OPT
Quoting the Center for Immigration Studies, the report said the decline in student visas could affect US university enrolment, the number of international graduates entering the American workforce and the broader policy debate over security risks involving students in sensitive fields.
The report said India remained the largest source of international students in the United States during the 2024-25 academic year, with 363,019 students enrolled at American colleges and universities.
China ranked second with 265,919 students. Together, students from the two countries accounted for 53 per cent of the total 1,177,766 international students studying in the United States during that academic year, according to the report.
The report also highlighted the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which allows eligible international students to work in the United States during or after completing their degree programmes.
According to the figures cited, 294,253 international students participated in OPT during the 2024-25 academic year.
Of these, 143,740 were from India, and 61,981 were from China, meaning students from the two countries accounted for nearly 70 per cent of all OPT participants.
The Center for Immigration Studies argued that a continued reduction in student visa issuance could eventually result in fewer foreign graduates entering the US workforce through the OPT programme, the report said.
Security Concerns Cited In Report
The report also referred to concerns raised by the Center for Immigration Studies regarding Chinese nationals studying in sensitive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.
While acknowledging that not all Chinese students come to the United States with harmful intentions, the report cited former US State Department official Edward Ramotowski, who had previously testified that some foreign students may later face pressure to support their governments.
