Students looking to study in the United States may now be able to apply for a visa a year before their course begins. The announcement is a much-needed breather for Indian students with the wait time at several centres being as high as 300 days.
US's Bureau of Consular Affairs announced this week that student visas in the F and M category can now be issued 365 days before their academic term begins.
"F and M student visas can now be issued up to 365 days in advance of the I-20 program start date, allowing more time for students to apply for a visa," the bureau said in a tweet.
But even the students who get their visa in advance will not be allowed to enter the US more than 30 days before their program start date.
Students admitted to a US university could earlier schedule their visa interviews 120 days in advance.
The US embassy and consulates are expecting to receive a record number of visas from Indian students this year, according to John Ballard, the consular chief at the US Consulate General in Mumbai.
The US is working on a multi-pronged approach to reduce the backlog of visa appointments. Earlier this month, the US announced that some visa applications from India will now be able to seek appointments in other countries.
The embassy also plans to increase the strength of consular staff and organise special interviews for first-time applicants.
The US mission in India released more than 2,50,000 additional B1/B2 appointments in January.