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  1. US Visa Statistics
  2. Approval Rates
  3. B-2

Official US State Department data

B-2 visa approval rate

What share of B-2 visa applications were approved each fiscal year, how many were issued and refused, and who gets B-2 visas.

Data through FY2024

B-2 visa applications approved, FY2024

US fiscal year: October 2023 to September 2024

55.9%55.9%

Down 9 ptsvs 65.0% in FY2023

In FY2024, 55.9% of B-2 visa applications were approved: 12,072 visas issued and 9,505 refused. That's 9 pts lower than FY2023. It's the lowest rate since at least FY2019.

Issued
12k
Refused
9.5k
Decided
22k
Approval rate by fiscal year
50%60%70%80%
FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24

Applications decided each year

Every B-2 visa application, issued or refused, by fiscal year.

IssuedRefused

FY2024 · 12,072 issued · 9,505 refused

010k20k30k40k50k
FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24

Who gets B-2 visas

B-2 visas issued to each country's nationals, last 12 months against the 12 months before.

Last 12 monthsThe 12 months before
  • 🇨🇺
    Cuba30% of all
    1.5kDown 81%
    1,473 visas in the last 12 months, 7,940 in the 12 months before
  • 🇻🇳
    Vietnam13% of all
    665Down 33%
    665 visas in the last 12 months, 991 in the 12 months before
  • 🇧🇸
    Bahamas11% of all
    534Up 528%
    534 visas in the last 12 months, 85 in the 12 months before
  • 🇦🇷
    Argentina8.3% of all
    413Down 33%
    413 visas in the last 12 months, 617 in the 12 months before
  • 🇨🇳
    China7% of all
    345Up 17%
    345 visas in the last 12 months, 295 in the 12 months before
  • 🇹🇭
    Thailand5.8% of all
    286About flat, 1.8%
    286 visas in the last 12 months, 281 in the 12 months before
  • 🇮🇳
    India2.7% of all
    133Down 59%
    133 visas in the last 12 months, 324 in the 12 months before
  • 🇧🇷
    Brazil2.3% of all
    112Up 14%
    112 visas in the last 12 months, 98 in the 12 months before
  • 🇵🇭
    Philippines2.2% of all
    108Up 46%
    108 visas in the last 12 months, 74 in the 12 months before
  • 🇿🇦
    South Africa1.4% of all
    67Up 46%
    67 visas in the last 12 months, 46 in the 12 months before

Cuba, Vietnam and Bahamas received 54% of all B-2 visas issued in the last 12 months. Among the 20 biggest, Bahamas grew the most (+528%) and Kenya fell the most (−94%).

Show the yearly numbers
Applications issued and refused per fiscal year, B-2 visas
Fiscal yearIssuedRefusedApproval rate
FY202412,0729,50555.9%Down 9 pts
FY20238,0854,35765.0%Down 3.9 pts
FY20225,9052,67068.9%Up 10.6 pts
FY20212,4921,78658.3%Down 12.1 pts
FY20205,2762,22470.3%Down 3.1 pts
FY201928,82910,41873.5%

Approval history starts in FY2019, when State Dept began counting applications instead of transactions. Earlier years are not directly comparable.

Compare every visa type's approval rate

About these numbers

Approval rate
Visas issued ÷ (issued + refused), worldwide, for each US fiscal year (October to September). Approval history starts in FY2019, when State Dept began counting each application's final outcome for that year. Earlier reports count transactions, including repeated refusals, so subtracting refusals later overcome doesn't make those years directly comparable. State Dept doesn't publish these tables by country or consulate.
Last 12 months
The 12 months up to the latest month State Dept has published, compared with the 12 months before. Monthly reports arrive a few months late. Calendar years run January to December.
Visas issued, not appointments
Every number here is a visa the US State Department issued. It shows demand and how much the consulates process, not how many interview slots are open.

Source: US Department of State.Monthly nonimmigrant visa issuancesNonimmigrant visa statisticsFY2019 reporting methodologyCheck Visa Slots isn't affiliated with the US government.