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  1. US Visa Statistics
  2. South Korea
  3. J-1

Official US State Department data

J-1 visa statistics for South Korea

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

Data through February 2026

J-1 visas issued to nationals of South Korea

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

Visas issued to nationals of South Korea, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

7,3347,334

Down 17%vs 8,871 in the 12 months before

Down 17% on the previous 12 months. The last 3 months ran 29% below the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
611
Busiest month
1.1k
Jul 2025
Latest month
346
Feb 2026Down 32%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 8.9k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 7.3k

05001k1.5k2k
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.

02.5k5k7.5k10k13k
4.7k
8.8k
Highest9.8k
9.3k
8k
2.9k
'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2021: 4,662 visas; FY2022: 8,785 visas; FY2023: 9,768 visas; FY2024: 9,309 visas; FY2025: 7,985 visas; FY2026: 2,855 visas so far.

FY2025 had 7,985 visas (−14% on FY2024). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is running 19% behind the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of South Korea
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026346506Down 32%
January 2026416515Down 19%
December 20258781,300Down 32%
November 2025868719Up 21%
October 2025347466Down 26%
September 2025347330Up 5.2%
August 2025769526Up 46%
July 20251,0681,426Down 25%
June 20256851,038Down 34%
May 20257781,041Down 25%
April 2025414635Down 35%
March 2025418369Up 13%
February 2025506–
January 2025515–
December 20241,300–
November 2024719–
October 2024466–
September 2024330–
August 2024526–
July 20241,426–
June 20241,038–
May 20241,041–
April 2024635–
March 2024369–

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 South Korea who interview at a US consulate in another country are counted here, so these totals run higher than the consulate figures for South Korea.

J-1 visas issued in South Korea

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

Visas issued in South Korea, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

7,1977,197

Down 19%vs 8,831 in the 12 months before

Down 19% on the previous 12 months. The last 3 months ran 30% below the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
600
Busiest month
1.1k
Jul 2025
Latest month
336
Feb 2026Down 34%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 8.8k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 7.2k

05001k1.5k2k
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 South Korea each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
14%
3.8%

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

Busiest: December 2022: 1,802 visas

FewerMoreNo data

In 2023–2025, July was typically the busiest month and September the quietest.

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    10k

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    9k

    Jan – Dec 2024

    Down 9.9%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    7.5k

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 17%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    750

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Down 27%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 7,470 visas (−17% 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 South Korea
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026336508Down 34%
January 2026414515Down 20%
December 20258681,305Down 33%
November 2025863718Up 20%
October 2025336461Down 27%
September 2025340335About flat, 1.5%
August 2025754528Up 43%
July 20251,0561,416Down 25%
June 20256641,028Down 35%
May 20257551,021Down 26%
April 2025404629Down 36%
March 2025407367Up 11%
February 2025508557Down 8.8%
January 2025515627Down 18%
December 20241,3051,641Down 20%
November 2024718725About flat, 1%
October 2024461431Up 7%
September 2024335320Up 4.7%
August 2024528581Down 9.1%
July 20241,4161,321Up 7.2%
June 20241,0281,555Down 34%
May 20241,021840Up 22%
April 2024629490Up 28%
March 2024367538Down 32%

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 South KoreaEvery US visa issued to nationals of South Korea, by visa type, and each consulate's total.Worldwide statisticsWhich countries and visa types get the most US visas.