Srinagar, July 18 -- Hyderabad, July 18 - The United States is witnessing a drastic 70-80% decline in the number of Indian students arriving for higher education, as visa-related issues mount, according to education consultants. The sharp dip is attributed to a freeze in visa appointment slots and an alarming rise in visa rejections, especially under Section 214(b) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act.

"This is the worst year we've seen. Students are still refreshing the visa portal daily, hoping for appointments," said Sanjeev Rai of Hyderabad Overseas Consultant, speaking to Times of India. He noted that by this time in previous years, most students would have already secured their visas and booked flights.

Ankit Jain from Window...