US Visas for Indians Plunged Under Trump Despite No Travel Ban

US Visa Rules for Indians: Despite being one of the largest community in the United States, India nationals faced a sharp decline in visa issuance under President Donald Trump’s strict immigration policies. According to the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), a Washington-based, independent, nonpartisan think tank, student and exchange visitor visas fell by 60% and temporary worker visas by 58% in the first five months of the 2026 fiscal year.

The sharp decline comes even though India was not listed as the country covered in the travel bans by the US. Therefore, the figures indicate the broader impact of tighter screening, visa processing delays and changes to work and study pathways on Indian applicants.

According to the MPI analysis, published on October 21, the US State Department issued 60% fewer student and exchange visitor visas to Indian nationals between October 2025 and February 2026 than during the corresponding period a year earlier. Temporary worker visa issuance to Indians fell by 58% over the same period.

The report draws on the latest publicly available State Department visa issuance data, which covers the first five months of the US fiscal year 2026.

Indian Students Face Mounting Uncertainty

Indian students remain one of the largest international student groups in the United States. According to MPI, over 363,000 Indian students were enrolled in US higher education institutions during the 2024-25 academic year, making India the leading country of origin for international students.

In such a scenario, the decline in visa issuance begs one question: how? The MPI said Trump's regime complicated the entire visa process, forcing many Indian nationals planning their studies in US to drop the idea. It said the screening requirements were tightened, visa interviews delayed and they faced uncertainty over post-study employment opportunities due to complex procedures. 

The fall in visa issuance also followed a pause in student visa interviews in 2025, which contributed to processing backlogs and affected students seeking to begin courses in the United States. The implications extend beyond those who have already received admission offers. Students facing uncertainty over visa appointments and employment prospects may have to postpone their studies or reconsider their destination.

Indian Workers Face Tighter Visa Pathways

Indian professionals have also been affected by the tightening of US work visa policies, particularly the H-1B programme, which allows American employers to hire foreign workers in specialised occupations. Indians are among the principal beneficiaries of the programme. According to MPI, Indian nationals received 71% of all H-1B visas for highly skilled workers in fiscal year 2024.

The report said H-1B visa issuance across all nationalities fell by 52% between October 2025 and February 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. Temporary worker visas issued to Indian nationals declined by 58% over the period. The figures cover different categories and should not be treated as interchangeable: the 58% decline refers to temporary worker visas issued to Indians, while the 52% decline covers H-1B visas across nationalities.

The Trump administration has introduced a series of measures affecting skilled workers, including additional scrutiny and changes to the costs associated with H-1B petitions. These measures have added to uncertainty for employers and prospective applicants. The impact can also extend to families of workers who depend on associated visa categories to accompany them to the United States.

A wider decline in US visa issuance

The fall in Indian visa issuance forms part of a broader contraction in US immigration and temporary travel. MPI found that the United States issued 23% fewer temporary visas across all categories in the first five months of fiscal year 2026 than during the corresponding period in fiscal year 2025. Issuance of permanent immigrant visas through US embassies and consulates abroad declined by 25% over the same period.

The figures reflect visa issuance rather than the total number of immigrants living in the United States. They also do not establish how many applicants were refused visas, how many existing visa holders lost their status or how many Indian nationals left the country. The distinction is significant for the Indian community, which includes permanent residents, temporary workers, students, dependants and US citizens of Indian origin.

MPI estimates that around 3.2 million Indian-born immigrants lived in the United States in 2024, making them the country's second-largest immigrant group after Mexican-born immigrants. The Indian-born population grew by 78% between 2010 and 2024, reflecting the country's expanding role in skilled migration and international education.

The latest figures suggest that the route into the United States has become more difficult for Indian students and workers. Whether the decline will persist, and how far it will affect longer-term migration from India, will depend on future visa policies, processing capacity and employment opportunities.

India vs China: How US Visa Restrictions Have Hit Both Countries

Indian and Chinese nationals have both faced a sharp decline in US visa issuance under President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, but the impact has been greater on Indian applicants in key student and temporary work categories, according to a Migration Policy Institute (MPI) analysis published on October 21, 2026.   

Between October 2025 and February 2026, student and exchange visas issued to Indian nationals fell by 60%, compared with a decline of around 37% for Chinese nationals. The gap was also evident in temporary worker visas: issuance to Indians dropped by 58%, while visas issued to Chinese nationals fell by 30% over the same period.   

Visa issuance decline, October 2025–February 2026, compared with the corresponding period a year earlier.

The disparity partly reflects Indians’ greater reliance on US skilled-worker pathways, particularly the H-1B programme. Indian nationals accounted for about 70% of approved H-1B applicants in fiscal year 2025, according to MPI.