According to recent data, both India and China, the top two countries sending international students to the United States, experienced a decrease in the number of F-1 visas issued in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in the previous year.
India, which has been the leading recipient of F-1 visas since 2021, witnessed a significant decline from 25,990 visas to 14,697, marking a 43.5 percent decrease.
In contrast, China saw a decrease from 14,709 visas issued to 11,167, reflecting a 24.1 percent drop.
This decline coincides with the U.S. government’s tightening of immigration restrictions and increased scrutiny, including the expansion of social media checks and the revision of visa criteria to scrutinize applications from Chinese applicants more closely. The State Department announced plans to revoke visas for Chinese students, particularly those associated with the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.
As illustrated in the chart by Statista’s Anna Fleck, Chinese F-1 visa issuances experienced a significant decrease in 2021, attributed to pandemic-related restrictions, anti-Asian racism, and geopolitical tensions.
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Factors influencing the decrease in visas issued may also include the affordability and growing prestige of universities in other countries.
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