How many U.S. visas are issued, and how to read the numbers

What the reports count

Visas issued, in two reports: by the nationality of the applicant and visa class, and by the embassy or consulate that issued them. The two reports are separate: the by-nationality report does not say which embassy, and the by-embassy report does not say nationality.

What they do not show

• Approval rates or refusals. A drop in issuances does not mean more refusals; fewer people may have applied.
• Applications received, or how many people tried.
• People who got an earlier visa still valid. They don't need a new one, so they don't appear.

Comparing fairly

• Compare the same months (for example February to February) because some months are always busier. Student visas peak in summer.
• Be careful with partial years. A year with only a few months published is not a full year.
• Monthly numbers are preliminary and can be revised.

Using this site

Pick a country on the countries page to see its latest month, how it changed from last month and from the same month last year, and its top visa types. Use the Compare page to put up to three countries, visa types or months side by side, and the What changed page to see this month's biggest rises and falls.