For the first time since 2001 — excluding the Covid years — the number of Indians visiting the United States dropped in June 2025 compared to the same period last year. According to data from the US commerce department’s National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), 2.1 lakh Indians travelled to America in June, an 8 per cent fall from 2.3 lakh in June 2024.
The provisional numbers for July also reflect a slowdown, with a 5.5 per cent decline over the same month last year. This mirrors a wider pattern of weakening international arrivals into the US. NTTO figures show total non-resident visitor volume fell 6.2 per cent in June, 7 per cent in May, 8 per cent in March, and 1.9 per cent in February. January had seen a 4.7 per cent rise, while April posted a modest 1.3 per cent increase.
India remains the fourth largest source of international arrivals for the US. Since Canada and Mexico share a land border with America, India stands as the second largest overseas market after the UK. Brazil rounds off the top five. NTTO noted, “Combined, these top five source markets accounted for 59.4 per cent of total international arrivals in June.”
Industry executives caution against rushing to blame the recent drop on tougher visa norms under President Trump’s second term. A senior travel executive told The Times of India, “It is too early to pin the decline in Indian visitor numbers solely on the stricter visa regime. But the impact could be sharper if this trend continues.”
The US issues long-term, multiple-entry B1/B2 visas valid for 10 years, which means those who already possess them can continue traveling. However, if new applications are delayed or face stricter scrutiny, a longer-term effect is expected. “We are seeing a very visible impact on the student segment this year due to delays in visa issuance, even after college admissions,” a travel agent told TOI.
Historically, the largest segments of Indian travellers to the US have been students, business visitors, and those visiting friends and relatives (VFR). Leisure travel to America has always lagged behind Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. At present, the slowdown is most pronounced among students, but experts warn that other categories could also feel the strain if visa constraints persist.
India has a diaspora of over 50 lakh in the US, ensuring steady demand for travel. Until this year, NTTO data shows that every June since 2001 had recorded higher numbers than the year before.
April had been strong for Indian outbound travel overall, with tourism ministry data showing 29 lakh departures. The UAE topped the list of destinations, followed by Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Singapore, and the US. But subsequent months were marred by external shocks. “After May and June, travel was severely impacted following the Pahalgam terror attack, closure of Pakistan airspace, and the Air India Ahmedabad crash. Every destination, especially in the west, was hit,” another industry leader has been quoted.
A Moneycontrol analysis shows that visa approvals have been slipping consistently since March, when the US had issued more than 97,000 visas, pointing to tightening scrutiny or capacity constraints at consulates.
In April, Indian travellers secured 91,710 US tourist visas under the B1/B2 category, down 9.6 percent from a year earlier. The slowdown persisted in May, when approvals slipped 5 percent to 90,859. Overall, Indians received 182,569 tourist visas in the two-month period, compared with 196,983 in April–May 2024.
Also read: Not just goods, Indian tourists are also finding it difficult to reach the US
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