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  1. US Visa Statistics
  2. Costa Rica
  3. J-1

Official US State Department data

J-1 visa statistics for Costa Rica

How many J-1 visas nationals of Costa Rica are issued, and what each US consulate in Costa Rica issues, month by month.

Data through February 2026

J-1 visas issued to nationals of Costa Rica

Every J-1 visa issued to a national of Costa Rica, at any US consulate in the world.

Visas issued to nationals of Costa Rica, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

1,0601,060

Down 7.5%vs 1,146 in the 12 months before

Down 7.5% on the previous 12 months. But the last 3 months ran 16% above the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
88
Busiest month
463
Oct 2025
Latest month
10
Feb 2026Up 11%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 1.1k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 1.1k

0200400600800
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

The long view

State Dept publishes its annual totals by US government fiscal year, which runs October to September.

Point at a year for its exact count.

05001k1.5k2k
467
424
368
435
489
609
700
809
Pre-COVID peak1k
949
177
348
Highest1.1k
1.1k
1k
884
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 467 visas; FY2012: 424 visas; FY2013: 368 visas; FY2014: 435 visas; FY2015: 489 visas; FY2016: 609 visas; FY2017: 700 visas; FY2018: 809 visas; FY2019: 1,010 visas; FY2020: 949 visas; FY2021: 177 visas; FY2022: 348 visas; FY2023: 1,076 visas; FY2024: 1,067 visas; FY2025: 1,049 visas; FY2026: 884 visas so far.

FY2025 had 1,049 visas (−1.7% on FY2024). That's 3.9% above the pre-pandemic peak (FY2019). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is level with the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of Costa Rica
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026109Up 11%
January 2026815Down 47%
December 20256043Up 40%
November 2025343538Down 36%
October 2025463268Up 73%
September 20253214Up 129%
August 20252629Down 10%
July 20253050Down 40%
June 20252383Down 72%
May 20253444Down 23%
April 20251632Down 50%
March 20251521Down 29%
February 20259–
January 202515–
December 202443–
November 2024538–
October 2024268–
September 202414–
August 202429–
July 202450–
June 202483–
May 202444–
April 202432–
March 202421–

Source: US Department of State monthly reports of nonimmigrant visas issued by nationality, and its annual Report of the Visa Office for earlier years. Nationals of Costa Rica who interview at a US consulate in another country are counted here, so these totals run higher than the consulate figures for Costa Rica.

J-1 visas issued in Costa Rica

How many J-1 visas the US consulates in Costa Rica issue each month, whether that's rising or falling, and where it's moving.

Visas issued in Costa Rica, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

1,1031,103

Down 9.7%vs 1,222 in the 12 months before

Down 9.7% on the previous 12 months. But the last 3 months ran 13% above the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
92
Busiest month
470
Oct 2025
Latest month
10
Feb 2026Up 11%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 1.2k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 1.1k

0200400600800
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

When visas are issued

Visas issued in Costa Rica each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
1.2%
37%

Typical: each month's share of a year's visas, averaged over 2023–2025.

Busiest: November 2024: 549 visas

FewerMoreNo data

In 2023–2025, November was typically the busiest month and February the quietest.

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    1.2k

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    1.2k

    Jan – Dec 2024

    Up 5.9%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    1.1k

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 9.5%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    19

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Down 27%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 1,110 visas (−9.5% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is running 27% behind the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in Costa Rica
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026109Up 11%
January 2026917Down 47%
December 20256246Up 35%
November 2025348549Down 37%
October 2025470276Up 70%
September 20253414Up 143%
August 20252734Down 21%
July 20253969Down 43%
June 20252298Down 78%
May 20253648Down 25%
April 20251938Down 50%
March 20252724Up 13%
February 2025914Down 36%
January 20251717About flat, 0%
December 20244642Up 9.5%
November 2024549420Up 31%
October 2024276327Down 16%
September 20241451Down 73%
August 20243443Down 21%
July 20246935Up 97%
June 20249863Up 56%
May 20244862Down 23%
April 20243832Up 19%
March 20242443Down 44%

Source: US Department of State monthly reports of nonimmigrant visas issued at each US consulate. These count visas issued, not interview appointments available.

J-1 approval rate: 89.0%Worldwide, FY2024. How it has moved since FY2019.All visa types for Costa RicaEvery US visa issued to nationals of Costa Rica, by visa type, and each consulate's total.Worldwide statisticsWhich countries and visa types get the most US visas.