Fact Sheet Student
Visas
The Department of State issued 715,093 student, exchange
and vocational visas in FY2010.
The top five countries were China, Korea, India, Germany, and
Russia.
The top three countries with the greatest increase in the number
of student visas issued in FY2010 compared with FY2009 were China,
Saudi Arabia, and Russia.
Worldwide, 86.5% of student visas are approved and 97% of
students receive their visas within a few days.
It is the Department of State's policy to give priority to
students for visa appointments. Students receive expedited
appointments.
Over 20 new overseas consular positions were created in 2010 to
meet the needs of posts with growing visa volume.
The results:
- easier to get appointment
- shorter wait times for visas
- shorter lines in consular waiting rooms
- shorter wait time for cases requiring special administrative
processing
Students now can apply for visas 120 days before their studies
begin, and are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. All of our
embassies and consulates give priority to appointments for student
and exchange visitor visa applicants.
The number of students from predominantly Muslim nations has
risen considerably in the last few years, with a 35.1 percent
increase in the number of student and exchange visitor visas issued
to students from the Middle East between 2009 and 2010. Since 2006,
more than 149,000 F, M and J visas were issued to Middle Eastern
students.
Saudi Arabian students continue to flock to the United States,
with 21,649 F, M and J visas issued to Saudi students in Fiscal
Year 2010, making it the eighth largest recipient of student
visas.
For more Department of State visa statistics, visit
http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/statistics/statistics_1476.html