Indian Travel To US Declines For The First Time Since 2001 Amid Tariff Woes

For the first time since 2001, excluding the Covid-19 years, the number of Indians travelling to the United States has fallen.

Data from the US Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) shows that 2.1 lakh Indians visited the US in June 2025, down 8 per cent from 2.3 lakh in June 2024. Provisional figures indicate that the downward trend continued in July, with a 5.5 per cent fall compared to July last year.

Decline in Global Arrivals to US

The decline in Indian travel to US is part of a larger global pattern.

NTTO data shows international arrivals to America dropped 6.2 per cent in June, 7 per cent in May, 8 per cent in March, and 1.9 per cent in February. Only January and April recorded increases of 4.7 per cent and 1.3 per cent respectively.

India remains the fourth largest source of international visitors to the US.

With Canada and Mexico connected by land, India ranks as the second largest overseas market after the UK, followed by Brazil. Together, these five nations accounted for nearly 60 per cent of all arrivals in June.

Visa Challenges Affect Student Travel

Students, professionals, and family visits traditionally drive Indian travel to the US. Leisure travel to America has been less popular compared to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Experts said students are feeling the slowdown most, while visa delays and constraints may also affect business and family visits.

The Indian diaspora of over 50 lakh in the US usually sustains steady travel, but June 2025 marked the first drop after two decades. Since 2001, every June had seen higher numbers than the year before, until now.

April this year had been a strong month for Indian travellers, with 29 lakh flying abroad. The UAE was the top destination, followed by Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Singapore, and the US.

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