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

Official US State Department data

M-1 visa statistics for Costa Rica

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

Data through January 2026

M-1 visas issued to nationals of Costa Rica

Every M-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

Feb 2025 – Jan 2026

1616

About flat, 0%vs 16 in the 12 months before

About the same as the previous 12 months (0%). But the last 3 months ran 100% above the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
1
Busiest month
5
Feb 2025
Latest month
1
Jan 2026

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 16

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 16

02468
Feb '24Mar '24Apr '24May '24Jun '24Jul '24Aug '24Sep '24Oct '24Nov '24Dec '24Jan '25Feb '25Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '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.

010203040
Pre-COVID peak22
15
19
16
16
22
19
18
18
10
4
15
8
17
15
6
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 22 visas; FY2012: 15 visas; FY2013: 19 visas; FY2014: 16 visas; FY2015: 16 visas; FY2016: 22 visas; FY2017: 19 visas; FY2018: 18 visas; FY2019: 18 visas; FY2020: 10 visas; FY2021: 4 visas; FY2022: 15 visas; FY2023: 8 visas; FY2024: 17 visas; FY2025: 15 visas; FY2026: 6 visas so far.

FY2025 had 15 visas (−12% on FY2024). That's 32% below the pre-pandemic peak (FY2011). FY2026 so far (Oct–Jan) is running 20% ahead of the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of Costa Rica
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
January 202610
December 202522About flat, 0%
November 202510
October 202523Down 33%
September 202510
August 202511About flat, 0%
July 202504Down 100%
June 202514Down 75%
May 202501Down 100%
April 202511About flat, 0%
March 202510
February 202550
January 202501Down 100%
December 202422About flat, 0%
November 202401Down 100%
October 202432Up 50%
September 202400
August 202411About flat, 0%
July 202440
June 202440
May 202413Down 67%
April 202411About flat, 0%
March 20240–
February 20240–

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.

M-1 visas issued in Costa Rica

How many M-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

Feb 2025 – Jan 2026

1616

Down 20%vs 20 in the 12 months before

Down 20% on the previous 12 months. But the last 3 months ran 100% above the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
1
Busiest month
5
Feb 2025
Latest month
1
Jan 2026

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 20

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 16

02468
Feb '24Mar '24Apr '24May '24Jun '24Jul '24Aug '24Sep '24Oct '24Nov '24Dec '24Jan '25Feb '25Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26

When visas are issued

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

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
2.2%
13%

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

Busiest: July 2024: 7 visas

FewerMoreNo data

In 2023–2025, October was typically the busiest month and March the quietest.

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    16

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    21

    Jan – Dec 2024

    Up 31%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    15

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 29%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    1

    Jan–Jan · 1 of 12 months

    First full year in this data

2025 had 15 visas (−29% on 2024).

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in Costa Rica
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
January 202610
December 202522About flat, 0%
November 202510
October 202523Down 33%
September 202510
August 202510
July 202507Down 100%
June 202514Down 75%
May 202502Down 100%
April 202511About flat, 0%
March 202510
February 202551Up 400%
January 202501Down 100%
December 202422About flat, 0%
November 202402Down 100%
October 202432Up 50%
September 202400
August 202401Down 100%
July 202470
June 202440
May 202423Down 33%
April 202413Down 67%
March 202400
February 202410

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

M-1 approval rate: 73.9%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.