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

Official US State Department data

J-1 visa statistics for South Africa

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

Data through February 2026

J-1 visas issued to nationals of South Africa

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

Visas issued to nationals of South Africa, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

2,7362,736

Down 17%vs 3,291 in the 12 months before

Down 17% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
228
Busiest month
459
Apr 2025
Latest month
188
Feb 2026Down 38%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 3.3k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 2.7k

0100200300400500
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.

01k2k3k4k5k
2.2k
1.9k
1.9k
1.9k
2k
2.4k
2.7k
3.2k
Pre-COVID peak3.8k
1.9k
983
2.8k
3.7k
3.5k
2.8k
1k
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 2,176 visas; FY2012: 1,929 visas; FY2013: 1,861 visas; FY2014: 1,901 visas; FY2015: 2,034 visas; FY2016: 2,353 visas; FY2017: 2,677 visas; FY2018: 3,188 visas; FY2019: 3,791 visas; FY2020: 1,916 visas; FY2021: 983 visas; FY2022: 2,849 visas; FY2023: 3,736 visas; FY2024: 3,478 visas; FY2025: 2,849 visas; FY2026: 1,027 visas so far.

FY2025 had 2,849 visas (−18% on FY2024). That's 25% below the pre-pandemic peak (FY2019). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is running 9.9% behind the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of South Africa
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026188305Down 38%
January 2026207227Down 8.8%
December 2025154138Up 12%
November 2025244249About flat, 2%
October 2025234221Up 5.9%
September 2025143183Down 22%
August 2025190192About flat, 1%
July 2025162278Down 42%
June 2025113312Down 64%
May 2025353402Down 12%
April 2025459471About flat, 2.5%
March 2025289313Down 7.7%
February 2025305–
January 2025227–
December 2024138–
November 2024249–
October 2024221–
September 2024183–
August 2024192–
July 2024278–
June 2024312–
May 2024402–
April 2024471–
March 2024313–

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

J-1 visas issued in South Africa

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

Visas issued in South Africa, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

2,8282,828

Down 19%vs 3,476 in the 12 months before

Down 19% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
236
Busiest month
476
Apr 2025
Latest month
185
Feb 2026Down 42%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 3.5k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 2.8k

0100200300400500
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

Where visas are issued

Each consulate's last 12 months, against the 12 months before.

Last 12 monthsThe 12 months before
  • Johannesburg39% of total
    1.1kDown 37%
    1,105 visas in the last 12 months, 1,763 in the 12 months before
  • Cape Town36% of total
    1kAbout flat, 2.5%
    1,027 visas in the last 12 months, 1,053 in the 12 months before
  • Durban25% of total
    696Up 5.5%
    696 visas in the last 12 months, 660 in the 12 months before

Johannesburg issues the most: 39% of the total. Johannesburg issued 37% fewer.

When visas are issued

Visas issued in South Africa each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
13%
4.8%

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

Busiest: May 2023: 566 visas

FewerMoreNo data

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

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    3.8k

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    3.5k

    Jan – Dec 2024

    Down 7.4%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    3k

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 13%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    386

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Down 33%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 3,017 visas (−13% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is running 33% behind the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in South Africa
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026185321Down 42%
January 2026201254Down 21%
December 2025167149Up 12%
November 2025245265Down 7.5%
October 2025241241About flat, 0%
September 2025167199Down 16%
August 2025189211Down 10%
July 2025169290Down 42%
June 2025119322Down 63%
May 2025363414Down 12%
April 2025476490About flat, 2.9%
March 2025306320Down 4.4%
February 2025321323About flat, 0.6%
January 2025254259About flat, 1.9%
December 2024149173Down 14%
November 2024265310Down 15%
October 2024241337Down 28%
September 2024199269Down 26%
August 2024211295Down 28%
July 2024290284About flat, 2.1%
June 2024322289Up 11%
May 2024414566Down 27%
April 2024490396Up 24%
March 2024320308Up 3.9%

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