Nationalities › Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Great Britain and Northern Ireland · Europe
U.S. visas issued to nationals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The reports below contain preliminary data which are subject to change. Beginning with FY 2020, individual monthly issuance reports should not be aggregated, as this will not provide an accurate issuance total for the fiscal year to date. Instead, refer to our annual Report of the Visa Office for final full Fiscal Year statistics.
In September 2025, 5,402 nonimmigrant visas were issued to nationals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the 19th largest count among 203 nationalities that month; that is down 25% on September 2024 (7,220).
For the full fiscal year the Department's Report of the Visa Office lists 93,783 nonimmigrant visas issued to nationals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in FY2024, 0.9% of the 10,969,936 issued worldwide and the 16th largest nationality of 197. The previous year's figure was 95,754 (FY2023).
The largest classes in September 2025 were B1/B2 (temporary visitor for business and pleasure) with 1,853, C1/D (combined transit and crewmember visa) with 609 and L1 (intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation)) with 373. 159 immigrant visas were issued to applicants chargeable to Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the same month, led by IR1 (46) and CR1 (36).
The Department's adjusted refusal rate for B (visitor) visa applicants who are nationals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 20.44% in FY2025, above the Europe median of 15.20%; it was 18.03% in FY2024. The rate covers B visas only and is the Department's own calculation, counting each applicant once by their final status in the year.
In the Diversity Visa program, 10 entrants chargeable to Great Britain and Northern Ireland were selected for DV-2026, 0% of all selectees that year; the count was 6 for DV-2025. Selection is not a visa; the Department's pages explain that selectees must still qualify and that more are selected than there are visas.
Nonimmigrant issuances by month
Compared with the Europe region and the world
| Measure | Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Europe (55 nationalities) | All nationalities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonimmigrant visas, FY2024, Report of the Visa Office | 93,783 | 1,012,314 | 10,969,936 |
| Median nationality, FY2024, Report of the Visa Office | — | 8,239 | 7,901 |
| Nonimmigrant visas, Sep 2025 | 5,402 | 68,373 | 823,557 |
| Change on Sep 2024 | -25% | — | -11% |
| Immigrant visas, Sep 2025 | 159 | — | 45,966 |
| B-visa adjusted refusal rate, FY2025 | 20.44% | 15.20% | 31.28% |
| DV-2026 selectees | 10 | — | 129,516 |
Fiscal-year rows are the Department's Report of the Visa Office tables; monthly rows are the September 2025 report alone. Region and world refusal figures are medians across the nationalities listed in the Department's table for that year; regions follow the Report of the Visa Office grouping.
Visa classes, FY2024, Report of the Visa Office
| Class | Description (State Department) | Issued, FY2024 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1/B2 | Temporary visitor for business and pleasure | 32,348 | 34.5% |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 15,903 | 17% |
| C1/D | Combined transit and crewmember visa | 7,389 | 7.9% |
| F1 | Student in an academic or language training program | 4,655 | 5% |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 4,514 | 4.8% |
| L1 | Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation) | 4,255 | 4.5% |
| L2 | Spouse or child of intracompany transferee | 3,009 | 3.2% |
| E2 | Treaty investor, spouse or child | 2,720 | 2.9% |
| O2 | Person accompanying and assisting in the artistic or athletic performance by O-1 | 2,713 | 2.9% |
| O1 | Person with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics | 2,691 | 2.9% |
| P1 | Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group | 1,895 | 2% |
| I | Representative of foreign information media, spouse and children | 1,879 | 2% |
| B1 | Temporary visitor for business | 1,552 | 1.7% |
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 1,462 | 1.6% |
| K1 | Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen | 1,172 | 1.2% |
| NATO6 | Member of a civilian component accompanying a force entering under the NATO agreements, and their dependents | 738 | 0.8% |
| NATO2 | Other representative of member state to NATO and immediate family; dependents of member of a force entering under the NATO agreements; members of such a force if issued visas | 618 | 0.7% |
| G4 | International organization officer or employee, and immediate family | 555 | 0.6% |
| H4 | Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3 | 547 | 0.6% |
| O3 | Spouse or child of O-1 or O-2 | 483 | 0.5% |
| M1 | Vocational student and other nonacademic student | 446 | 0.5% |
| G2 | Other representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and immediate family | 300 | 0.3% |
| J2 | Spouse or child of exchange visitor | 244 | 0.3% |
| H2B | Temporary worker performing other services | 203 | 0.2% |
| A1 | Ambassador, public minister, career diplomat or consular officer, or immediate family | 191 | 0.2% |
| E1 | Treaty trader, spouse or child | 146 | 0.2% |
| R1 | Alien in a religious occupation | 132 | 0.1% |
| P3 | Artist or entertainer in a culturally unique program | 111 | 0.1% |
| R2 | Spouse or child of R1 | 108 | 0.1% |
| C3 | Foreign government official, immediate family, attendant, servant or personal employee, in transit | 105 | 0.1% |
From the Department's annual NIV detail table (nationality by class). Older symbol spellings in the table (B-1,2; H-1B) are shown in the current form.
Visa classes, September 2025
| Class | Description (State Department) | Issued | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1/B2 | Temporary visitor for business and pleasure | 1,853 | 34.3% |
| C1/D | Combined transit and crewmember visa | 609 | 11.3% |
| L1 | Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation) | 373 | 6.9% |
| O2 | Person accompanying and assisting in the artistic or athletic performance by O-1 | 263 | 4.9% |
| O1 | Person with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics | 247 | 4.6% |
| P1 | Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group | 211 | 3.9% |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 204 | 3.8% |
| L2 | Spouse or child of intracompany transferee | 179 | 3.3% |
| NATO6 | Member of a civilian component accompanying a force entering under the NATO agreements, and their dependents | 177 | 3.3% |
| E2 | Treaty investor, spouse or child | 171 | 3.2% |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 148 | 2.7% |
| I | Representative of foreign information media, spouse and children | 144 | 2.7% |
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 135 | 2.5% |
| F1 | Student in an academic or language training program | 104 | 1.9% |
| B1 | Temporary visitor for business | 102 | 1.9% |
| M1 | Vocational student and other nonacademic student | 65 | 1.2% |
| G2 | Other representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and immediate family | 61 | 1.1% |
| G4 | International organization officer or employee, and immediate family | 56 | 1% |
| H2B | Temporary worker performing other services | 50 | 0.9% |
| NATO2 | Other representative of member state to NATO and immediate family; dependents of member of a force entering under the NATO agreements; members of such a force if issued visas | 46 | 0.9% |
| H4 | Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3 | 43 | 0.8% |
| K1 | Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen | 34 | 0.6% |
| O3 | Spouse or child of O-1 or O-2 | 28 | 0.5% |
| A1 | Ambassador, public minister, career diplomat or consular officer, or immediate family | 15 | 0.3% |
| J2 | Spouse or child of exchange visitor | 14 | 0.3% |
| Q1 | Participant in an international cultural exchange program | 14 | 0.3% |
| R1 | Alien in a religious occupation | 11 | 0.2% |
| E1 | Treaty trader, spouse or child | 10 | 0.2% |
| C3 | Foreign government official, immediate family, attendant, servant or personal employee, in transit | 6 | 0.1% |
| E3D | Spouse or child of Australian specialty occupation professional | 6 | 0.1% |
Immigrant visa classes, September 2025 (foreign state of chargeability)
| Class | Description (State Department) | Issued | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| IR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen | 46 | 28.9% |
| CR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen (conditional status) | 36 | 22.6% |
| F3 | Family third preference: married son or daughter of U.S. citizen, spouse and child (F31, F32, F33, C31-C33, B31-B33) | 21 | 13.2% |
| DV | Diversity immigrant (DV1, DV2, DV3) | 19 | 11.9% |
| IR5 | Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age | 9 | 5.7% |
| F4 | Family fourth preference: brother or sister of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age, spouse and child (F41, F42, F43) | 6 | 3.8% |
| IR2 | Child of U.S. citizen | 6 | 3.8% |
| CR2 | Child of U.S. citizen (conditional status) | 4 | 2.5% |
| F1 | Family first preference: unmarried son or daughter of U.S. citizen, and child (F11, F12, B11, B12) | 3 | 1.9% |
| F2A | Family second preference (2A): spouse or child of lawful permanent resident (F21, F22, F23, C21-C23, B21-B23) | 3 | 1.9% |
| I5 | Investor pilot program (regional center) in targeted area, spouse and child (I51-I53) | 3 | 1.9% |
| E1 | Employment first preference (priority workers): person with extraordinary ability, outstanding professor or researcher, multinational executive or manager, spouse and child (E11-E15) | 1 | 0.6% |
| E2 | Employment second preference: professional holding advanced degree or alien of exceptional ability, spouse and child (E21-E23) | 1 | 0.6% |
| FX | Family second preference, exempt from country limitations: spouse or child of lawful permanent resident (FX1, FX2, FX3, CX1-CX3, BX1-BX3) | 1 | 0.6% |
Nonimmigrant issuances by fiscal year, Report of the Visa Office
| Fiscal year | All classes | Visitors (B) | Students, exchange (F, M, J) | Temporary workers | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2015 | 93,516 | 23,745 | 25,782 | 28,676 | — |
| FY2016 | 105,905 | 34,510 | 26,245 | 28,692 | +13% |
| FY2017 | 101,765 | 33,028 | 25,686 | 26,745 | -4% |
| FY2018 | 95,908 | 29,752 | 24,324 | 26,391 | -6% |
| FY2019 | 93,117 | 27,986 | 23,467 | 27,379 | -3% |
| FY2020 | 40,695 | 13,776 | 6,605 | 12,813 | -56% |
| FY2021 | 23,861 | 3,256 | 7,590 | 6,445 | -41% |
| FY2022 | 77,759 | 18,071 | 18,860 | 26,067 | +226% |
| FY2023 | 95,754 | 34,567 | 19,707 | 23,920 | +23% |
| FY2024 | 93,783 | 33,942 | 21,335 | 22,756 | -2% |
Fiscal years run October to September. Every row is the Department's final annual detail table for that year; the visitor, student and worker columns add the table's class columns within one year. No monthly reports are summed.
Adjusted B-visa refusal rate by fiscal year
Dark bar: Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Grey bar: Europe median for the same year. The Department's rate covers B visas only; it counts each applicant once, in the status in which the fiscal year ended, so an applicant refused and later issued in the same year counts as an issuance. Source tables: FY2023, FY2024, FY2025.
Diversity Visa selectees by program year
| Program year | Selectees chargeable to Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Share of all selectees | All selectees |
|---|---|---|---|
| DV-2016 | 9 | 0% | 91,563 |
| DV-2017 | 13 | 0% | 83,910 |
| DV-2018 | 16 | 0% | 115,968 |
| DV-2019 | 8 | 0% | 87,610 |
| DV-2020 | 13 | 0% | 83,884 |
| DV-2021 | 4 | 0% | 132,404 |
| DV-2022 | 3 | 0% | 119,021 |
| DV-2023 | 4 | 0% | 119,262 |
| DV-2024 | 1 | 0% | 142,947 |
| DV-2025 | 6 | 0% | 131,060 |
| DV-2026 | 10 | 0% | 129,516 |
Counts of selected entrants as published on the Department's "selected entrants" pages; no names are published or held. Selection is not a visa: the Department selects more entrants than visas available, and DV visas are issued only to selectees who qualify before the program year ends.
Questions and answers
What is the U.S. visa refusal rate for nationals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The State Department's adjusted refusal rate for B (business and tourist) visas was 20.44% in FY2025 against a Europe median of 15.20%. The Department publishes this rate only for B visas and only by nationality; it counts each applicant once, by the status in which the year ended.
How many U.S. visas were issued to nationals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland last year?
93,783 nonimmigrant visas in FY2024, Report of the Visa Office, the Department's final annual figure. In September 2025, the latest monthly report, 5,402 were issued.
How does September 2025 compare with a year earlier for Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
5,402 nonimmigrant visas, down 25% on September 2024 (7,220). Months are compared one to one; the Department says its monthly reports should not be added together.
Which visa classes do nationals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland receive most?
B1/B2 (32,348), J1 (15,903), C1/D (7,389), F1 (4,655) and A2 (4,514) in FY2024, Report of the Visa Office.
How many DV lottery selectees did Great Britain and Northern Ireland have?
10 for DV-2026, 0% of all selectees. Earlier years: DV-2022 3, DV-2023 4, DV-2024 1, DV-2025 6. Being selected is not a visa; the Department selects more entrants than there are visas available.
Where do nationals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland apply?
This site's post table lists no U.S. post in Great Britain and Northern Ireland; nationals apply at posts in other countries.
Where does this data come from?
The State Department's monthly nonimmigrant and immigrant visa issuance tables by nationality, the annual Report of the Visa Office detail tables, the annual adjusted B-visa refusal rate tables and the Diversity Visa selectee pages. Data through 30 Sep 2025.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances by Nationality and Visa Class; Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances by Foreign State of Chargeability or Place of Birth and Visa Class; Report of the Visa Office NIV detail tables (workbook); Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas Only, by Nationality; Diversity Visa selected entrants pages. All public domain. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections.