The rejection figure represented approximately 36% of all applications submitted last year.
A report from the Cato Institute, a US public policy research organization, released on March 19, found that the total number of student visas, known as F-1 visas, issued last year exceeded 445,000, an increase of ‘around 34,000 compared to the previous year. .
However, at the same time, the number of visa refusals has also increased by 30,000 per year.
The student visa refusal rate in 2023 was 36.3% of all applications, the highest since 2013.
Over the past decade, the U.S. student visa denial rate has more than doubled, from 15% in 2014.
According to the Cato Institute, Indian students faced the highest number of rejections, at around 29%.
David J. Bier, associate director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, said: “The State Department does not separately define the reasons for student visa denials, but almost all non-state visa denials immigrant are due to the inability to prove “nonimmigrant intent” (i.e., the desire not to permanently move to the United States).”
He said applicants must demonstrate strong ties to their home country, requiring them to return there once the purpose of their visit has been completed.
“The subjective standard of nonimmigrant intent can be applied in a variety of ways. Consular officers are supposed to consider only a person’s “current intent,” without considering how their intent might change if opportunities present themselves to “There is little consistency in enforcement,” Bier said.
One of the requirements for applying for an F-1 visa is acceptance into a US university.
The Cato Institute reports that on average, a student must pay $30,000 per year for tuition and living expenses, meaning the United States turned away 253,355 students who likely would have paid around $7.6 billion. dollars per year in tuition and living expenses.
In four years, this figure amounted to $30.4 billion in economic losses for the country.
The Cato Institute report highlights the disparity in denial rates for F-1 visas compared to other temporary visas. As of 2021, the refusal rate for student visas is almost double that of all other visa types.
Recent statistics from the Institute of International Education (IIE) show that for the 2022-2023 academic year, the United States welcomed approximately one million international students from more than 200 countries and territories, including 21,900 from Vietnam.
Of these, 55% pursue studies in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. Among Vietnamese students, 47.6% choose STEM fields and around 25% opt for business and management majors.
Tuition fees at American universities currently range between $28,000 and $46,000 per year, depending on whether the institution is public or private. International students are allowed to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week.
Once they graduate, they can stay in the country for 12 months under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program.
For several STEM fields, international students can extend their OPT for an additional 24 months, allowing them to stay in the country for up to 36 months in total.
