New data released by the US Department of State shows that F-1 visa issuance has sharply declined since 2023. Over 180,000 fewer F-1 visas were issued in 2025 than in 2023, and over 131,000 fewer F-1 visas were issued in 2025 compared to 2024, according to analysis by The PIE News.
The large drop in visa issuance appears to have stemmed from two of the US’s biggest source markets – India and China. Indeed, F-1 visa issuance for Indian students dropped by a massive 76% between 2023 and 2025.
ETS director, strategic initiatives John Clark pointed to the “alarming trend” in a post on LinkedIn.
“We’ve seen a 4x reduction in new Indian students over just two years, posing a seismic disruption to American universities and economic productivity,” he wrote.
“Some factors endogenous to India explain a portion of this trend. But this, at heart, is a consequence of American policy choices.”
As a result in the decrease in F-1 visas issued to Indian students, in 2025 China regained the top spot as the biggest sending market to the US – although visa issuance for this group has also seen a marked drop.
This, at heart, is a consequence of American policy choices
John Clark
Other major sending markets – including Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Nepal and Mexico have stayed relatively stable within that time period.
Once the most popular study destination in the world, the US international education sector has recently faced a barrage of challenges – including hostile immigration policies from the Trump administration, a backlog in visa interviews and outright visa bans.
The resulting drop in international student numbers is hitting the sector hard – with an anticipated $3.4 billion economic impact.
