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  1. US Visa Statistics
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Official US State Department data

US visa statistics for Bulgaria

How many US visas nationals of Bulgaria are issued, and for what, plus what the US consulates in Bulgaria issue.

Data through February 2026

Visas issued to nationals of Bulgaria, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

18,64618,646

Down 10%vs 20,826 in the 12 months before

Down 10% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
1.6k
Busiest month
2.7k
Apr 2025
Latest month
1.5k
Feb 2026Down 6.3%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 21k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 19k

01k2k3k4k
Mar '24Apr '24May '24Jun '24Jul '24Aug '24Sep '24Oct '24Nov '24Dec '24Jan '25Feb '25Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26

What the visas are for

Visas issued to nationals of Bulgaria by visa type. The last 12 months in orange, the 12 before in grey; each chart has its own scale.

  • B1/B2

    Business and tourist visitors

    Down 12%

    13k

    69% of the total, last 12 months

    12,890 visas in the last 12 months, 14,645 in the 12 months before

  • J-1

    Exchange visitors

    About flat, 0.8%

    4k

    21% of the total, last 12 months

    3,953 visas in the last 12 months, 3,923 in the 12 months before

  • C-1/D

    Airline and ship crews

    Down 4.5%

    749

    4% of the total, last 12 months

    749 visas in the last 12 months, 784 in the 12 months before

  • F-1

    Academic students

    Down 3.4%

    197

    1.1% of the total, last 12 months

    197 visas in the last 12 months, 204 in the 12 months before

  • H-2B

    Seasonal non-farm workers

    Down 11%

    129

    0.7% of the total, last 12 months

    129 visas in the last 12 months, 145 in the 12 months before

  • B-1

    Business visitors

    Down 50%

    92

    0.5% of the total, last 12 months

    92 visas in the last 12 months, 185 in the 12 months before

Other visa types

Last 12 monthsThe 12 months before
  • NATO-20.4% of total
    82Down 56%
    82 visas in the last 12 months, 185 in the 12 months before
  • L-10.4% of total

    Intracompany transferees

    76Up 8.6%
    76 visas in the last 12 months, 70 in the 12 months before
  • A-20.4% of total

    Foreign government officials

    69Down 60%
    69 visas in the last 12 months, 173 in the 12 months before
  • E-20.3% of total

    Treaty investors

    65Up 27%
    65 visas in the last 12 months, 51 in the 12 months before
  • L-20.3% of total

    Spouses and children of L-1 transferees

    52Up 16%
    52 visas in the last 12 months, 45 in the 12 months before
  • H-1B0.3% of total

    Specialty occupation workers

    50Down 15%
    50 visas in the last 12 months, 59 in the 12 months before

B1/B2 visas made up 69% of the visas issued to nationals of Bulgaria in the last 12 months. B1/B2 fell 12% on the 12 months before.

US consulates in Bulgaria

Every visa each consulate issued, to any nationality, in the last 12 months against the 12 months before.

Last 12 monthsThe 12 months before
  • Sofia100% of the country
    18kDown 9.3%
    17,912 visas in the last 12 months, 19,740 in the 12 months before

Together they issued 17,912 visas in the last 12 months. That differs from the total to nationals of Bulgaria above, which also counts nationals who applied in other countries and leaves out other nationalities who applied here.

When visas are issued

Visas issued to nationals of Bulgaria each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
15%
5.6%

Typical: each month's share of a year's visas, averaged over 2024–2025.

Busiest: April 2024: 3,401 visas

FewerMoreNo data

In 2024–2025, April was typically the busiest month and September the quietest.

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2024

    21k

    Jan – Dec 2024

    First full year in this data
  2. 2025

    19k

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 9.9%vs 2024
  3. 2026So far

    2.8k

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Down 12%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 19,022 visas (−9.9% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is running 12% behind the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of Bulgaria
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 20261,5111,612Down 6.3%
January 20261,3011,576Down 17%
December 20251,1751,414Down 17%
November 20251,3041,716Down 24%
October 20251,2541,562Down 20%
September 20259851,266Down 22%
August 20251,0471,430Down 27%
July 20251,4611,226Up 19%
June 20251,3211,044Up 27%
May 20251,8662,142Down 13%
April 20252,7423,401Down 19%
March 20252,6792,437Up 9.9%
February 20251,6121,847Down 13%
January 20251,5761,623About flat, 2.9%
December 20241,414944Up 50%
November 20241,7161,445Up 19%
October 20241,5621,342Up 16%
September 20241,2661,259About flat, 0.6%
August 20241,4301,530Down 6.5%
July 20241,2261,214About flat, 1%
June 20241,0441,643Down 36%
May 20242,1422,242Down 4.5%
April 20243,4012,403Up 42%
March 20242,4372,928Down 17%

Look up a visa type for Bulgaria

Monthly trend, each consulate's numbers, the busiest months and the long view.

  • H-1B
  • H-4
  • F-1
  • F-2
  • B1/B2
  • J-1
  • J-2
  • L-1
  • L-2
  • M-1

About these numbers

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.
By nationality or by consulate
“Issued to nationals of India” counts Indian citizens wherever they applied. “Issued in India” counts what the US consulates in India issued, to anyone. The two differ, so each number says which one it is.
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.

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