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

Official US State Department data

L-1 visa statistics for South Africa

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

Data through February 2026

L-1 visas issued to nationals of South Africa

Every L-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

611611

About flat, 0.8%vs 606 in the 12 months before

About the same as the previous 12 months (+0.8%). But the last 3 months ran 13% above the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
51
Busiest month
64
Dec 2025
Latest month
56
Feb 2026Up 40%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 606

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 611

020406080
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.

02505007501k1.3k
689
791
589
739
912
833
685
821
Pre-COVID peak1k
499
163
856
793
577
596
286
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 689 visas; FY2012: 791 visas; FY2013: 589 visas; FY2014: 739 visas; FY2015: 912 visas; FY2016: 833 visas; FY2017: 685 visas; FY2018: 821 visas; FY2019: 1,013 visas; FY2020: 499 visas; FY2021: 163 visas; FY2022: 856 visas; FY2023: 793 visas; FY2024: 577 visas; FY2025: 596 visas; FY2026: 286 visas so far.

FY2025 had 596 visas (+3.3% on FY2024). That's 41% below the pre-pandemic peak (FY2019). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is running 5.5% ahead of the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of South Africa
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 20265640Up 40%
January 20265955Up 7.3%
December 20256463About flat, 1.6%
November 20255771Down 20%
October 20255042Up 19%
September 20255150About flat, 2%
August 20255270Down 26%
July 20254156Down 27%
June 20254452Down 15%
May 20254133Up 24%
April 20255037Up 35%
March 20254637Up 24%
February 202540–
January 202555–
December 202463–
November 202471–
October 202442–
September 202450–
August 202470–
July 202456–
June 202452–
May 202433–
April 202437–
March 202437–

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.

L-1 visas issued in South Africa

How many L-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

546546

About flat, 2.2%vs 558 in the 12 months before

About the same as the previous 12 months (−2.2%). But the last 3 months ran 22% above the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
46
Busiest month
65
Dec 2025
Latest month
54
Feb 2026Up 54%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 558

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 546

0255075100
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
  • Johannesburg54% of total
    293Down 5.5%
    293 visas in the last 12 months, 310 in the 12 months before
  • Cape Town37% of total
    203About flat, 2.9%
    203 visas in the last 12 months, 209 in the 12 months before
  • Durban9.2% of total
    50Up 28%
    50 visas in the last 12 months, 39 in the 12 months before

Johannesburg issues the most: 54% of the total. Durban grew the most (+28%).

When visas are issued

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

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
5.9%
11%

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

Busiest: November 2022: 170 visas

FewerMoreNo data

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

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    569

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    560

    Jan – Dec 2024

    About flat, 1.6%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    518

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 7.5%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    113

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Up 33%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 518 visas (−7.5% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is running 33% ahead of the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in South Africa
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 20265435Up 54%
January 20265950Up 18%
December 20256561Up 6.6%
November 20255281Down 36%
October 20254540Up 13%
September 20254550Down 10%
August 20254063Down 37%
July 20253544Down 20%
June 20253649Down 27%
May 20254124Up 71%
April 20253630Up 20%
March 20253831Up 23%
February 20253536About flat, 2.8%
January 20255051About flat, 2%
December 20246146Up 33%
November 20248155Up 47%
October 20244042Down 4.8%
September 20245041Up 22%
August 20246345Up 40%
July 20244469Down 36%
June 20244936Up 36%
May 20242452Down 54%
April 20243031Down 3.2%
March 20243134Down 8.8%

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

L-1 approval rate: 96.1%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.