Declining US Student Visa Approvals: Indian Applications Drop 44.5% Under Trump Administration's New Restrictions

The United States has issued approximately 20 percent fewer student visas in August following President Donald Trump's immigration restrictions, with India experiencing the most significant decline and being surpassed by China as the primary country of origin, according to Monday's data release.

In August, traditionally the most common month for U.S. university admissions, 313,138 student visas were issued, representing a 19.1 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2024, as reported by the International Trade Commission.

The most dramatic reduction was observed for Indian students, with visa issuances dropping by 44.5 percent compared to the previous year.

While Chinese students also experienced a decrease in visa approvals, the decline was considerably less severe. In August, 86,647 visas were issued to students from mainland China, more than double the number granted to Indian applicants.

It's important to note that these statistics don't represent the total number of international students currently studying in the United States, as many continue their education on previously issued visas.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has prioritized both immigration restrictions and weakening universities, which his administration views as strongholds of liberal influence.

In June, a peak application month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio temporarily suspended student visa processing while implementing new requirements for U.S. embassies to screen applicants' social media accounts.

Rubio has canceled thousands of student visas, frequently citing criticism of Israel as grounds for denial, arguing that he can refuse entry to individuals whose views contradict U.S. foreign policy interests.

Particularly affecting Indian applicants, the Trump administration has implemented restrictions making it more difficult to apply for visas outside the jurisdictions of U.S. consulates in their home countries, even when facing processing backlogs.

Trump has enacted several policies that have adversely affected India, a nation that for decades had been courted by U.S. policymakers from both parties who viewed the country of over a billion people as a natural counterbalance to China.

Additionally, Trump has imposed substantial new fees on H-1B visas, which are predominantly utilized by Indian technology professionals.

Interestingly, Trump has expressed interest in increasing the number of Chinese students to improve relations between the two global powers, contrasting sharply with Rubio's earlier statements promising to "aggressively" revoke visas from Chinese students he accused of exploiting American technical expertise.

The latest data also reveals a significant reduction in student visas issued to applicants from numerous Muslim-majority countries, with admissions from Iran plummeting by 86 percent.