The US Embassy has opened student visa appointments for campus dates in mid-August.

Visa appointments are now available on the website of the US embassy in India for students who need to be on campus by mid-August. The embassy announced that interviews for F, M, and J visas will begin after August 14.

The move comes after the government encouraged top diplomats from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other countries to expedite student visas after receiving multiple letters and concerns about the visa process taking too long.

In May, the US embassy attempted to reassure students that if they were unable to secure an interview in the first batch, slots would be available for the rest of July and early August.

Student visa interviews began earlier this year, with officials hoping to issue a greater number than the 62,000 issued in 2021 for the autumn semester.

According to the Economic Times, the first round of visa interview slots will be available in May 2022 for dates in June and the first part of July. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, US embassies and consulates in India commenced student visa interviews on June 14, 2021, after most students obtained their I-20s, it noted.

The I-20 is a required document provided by a US government-approved educational school that certifies a student has been admitted to a full-time program and has adequate money to stay in the US. It enables a student to apply for a visa to the United States.

Students will be relieved to learn that they may reapply for visas if they fail to pass the interview the first time and are denied visas. Appointments for second chances will be available in the second part of August, according to the statement.