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  1. US Visa Statistics
  2. Sri Lanka
  3. H-1B

Official US State Department data

H-1B visa statistics for Sri Lanka

How many H-1B visas nationals of Sri Lanka are issued, and what each US consulate in Sri Lanka issues, month by month.

Data through February 2026

H-1B visas issued to nationals of Sri Lanka

Every H-1B visa issued to a national of Sri Lanka, at any US consulate in the world.

Visas issued to nationals of Sri Lanka, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

107107

Down 45%vs 196 in the 12 months before

Down 45% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
9
Busiest month
17
Jan 2026
Latest month
7
Feb 2026Down 59%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 196

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 107

010203040
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.

0100200300400
228
214
Pre-COVID peak244
234
219
185
137
140
145
74
14
151
163
182
162
47
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 228 visas; FY2012: 214 visas; FY2013: 244 visas; FY2014: 234 visas; FY2015: 219 visas; FY2016: 185 visas; FY2017: 137 visas; FY2018: 140 visas; FY2019: 145 visas; FY2020: 74 visas; FY2021: 14 visas; FY2022: 151 visas; FY2023: 163 visas; FY2024: 182 visas; FY2025: 162 visas; FY2026: 47 visas so far.

FY2025 had 162 visas (−11% on FY2024). That's 34% below the pre-pandemic peak (FY2013). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is running 54% behind the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of Sri Lanka
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026717Down 59%
January 20261713Up 31%
December 20251235Down 66%
November 2025521Down 76%
October 2025616Down 63%
September 2025118Up 38%
August 2025616Down 63%
July 20251118Down 39%
June 2025810Down 20%
May 2025812Down 33%
April 2025715Down 53%
March 2025915Down 40%
February 202517–
January 202513–
December 202435–
November 202421–
October 202416–
September 20248–
August 202416–
July 202418–
June 202410–
May 202412–
April 202415–
March 202415–

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

H-1B visas issued in Sri Lanka

How many H-1B visas the US consulates in Sri Lanka issue each month, whether that's rising or falling, and where it's moving.

Visas issued in Sri Lanka, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

100100

Down 44%vs 179 in the 12 months before

Down 44% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
8
Busiest month
17
Jan 2026
Latest month
7
Feb 2026Down 53%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 179

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 100

010203040
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 Sri Lanka each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
5.4%
16%

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

Busiest: December 2024: 33 visas

FewerMoreNo data

In 2023–2025, December was typically the busiest month and May the quietest.

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    163

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    184

    Jan – Dec 2024

    Up 13%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    104

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 43%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    24

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Down 14%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 104 visas (−43% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is running 14% behind the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in Sri Lanka
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026715Down 53%
January 20261713Up 31%
December 20251433Down 58%
November 2025420Down 80%
October 2025615Down 60%
September 202588About flat, 0%
August 2025514Down 64%
July 20251114Down 21%
June 2025811Down 27%
May 2025610Down 40%
April 2025613Down 54%
March 2025813Down 38%
February 20251511Up 36%
January 20251322Down 41%
December 20243326Up 27%
November 20242017Up 18%
October 2024156Up 150%
September 202488About flat, 0%
August 20241419Down 26%
July 2024148Up 75%
June 20241115Down 27%
May 2024108Up 25%
April 20241312Up 8.3%
March 20241310Up 30%

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

H-1B approval rate: 97.2%Worldwide, FY2024. How it has moved since FY2019.All visa types for Sri LankaEvery US visa issued to nationals of Sri Lanka, by visa type, and each consulate's total.Worldwide statisticsWhich countries and visa types get the most US visas.