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Sierra Leone · Africa
U.S. visas issued to nationals of Sierra Leone
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, 38 nonimmigrant visas were issued to nationals of Sierra Leone, the 164th largest count among 203 nationalities that month; that is down 88% on September 2024 (316).
For the full fiscal year the Department's Report of the Visa Office lists 3,268 nonimmigrant visas issued to nationals of Sierra Leone in FY2024, 0% of the 10,969,936 issued worldwide and the 131st largest nationality of 197. The previous year's figure was 4,925 (FY2023).
The largest classes in September 2025 were G2 (other representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and immediate family) with 14, A2 (other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family) with 5 and J1 (exchange visitor) with 5. 47 immigrant visas were issued to applicants chargeable to Sierra Leone in the same month, led by IR2 (22) and IR1 (15).
The Department's adjusted refusal rate for B (visitor) visa applicants who are nationals of Sierra Leone was 70.55% in FY2025, above the Africa median of 55.57%; it was 69.36% 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, 639 entrants chargeable to Sierra Leone were selected for DV-2026, 0.5% of all selectees that year; the count was 957 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.
The U.S. post in Sierra Leone (Freetown) issued 50 nonimmigrant visas in September 2025, to applicants of all nationalities.
Nonimmigrant issuances by month
Compared with the Africa region and the world
| Measure | Sierra Leone | Africa (54 nationalities) | All nationalities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonimmigrant visas, FY2024, Report of the Visa Office | 3,268 | 539,434 | 10,969,936 |
| Median nationality, FY2024, Report of the Visa Office | — | 2,955 | 7,901 |
| Nonimmigrant visas, Sep 2025 | 38 | 23,471 | 823,557 |
| Change on Sep 2024 | -88% | — | -11% |
| Immigrant visas, Sep 2025 | 47 | — | 45,966 |
| B-visa adjusted refusal rate, FY2025 | 70.55% | 55.57% | 31.28% |
| DV-2026 selectees | 639 | — | 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 | 1,674 | 51.2% |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 351 | 10.7% |
| G2 | Other representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and immediate family | 313 | 9.6% |
| K1 | Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen | 222 | 6.8% |
| F1 | Student in an academic or language training program | 217 | 6.6% |
| B2 | Temporary visitor for pleasure | 183 | 5.6% |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 80 | 2.4% |
| G1 | Principal resident representative of recognized foreign government to international organization, staff, or immediate family | 45 | 1.4% |
| G4 | International organization officer or employee, and immediate family | 44 | 1.3% |
| A1 | Ambassador, public minister, career diplomat or consular officer, or immediate family | 40 | 1.2% |
| B1 | Temporary visitor for business | 29 | 0.9% |
| K2 | Child of K-1 | 24 | 0.7% |
| F2 | Spouse or child of F1 | 22 | 0.7% |
| J2 | Spouse or child of exchange visitor | 8 | 0.2% |
| C1/D | Combined transit and crewmember visa | 4 | 0.1% |
| P1 | Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group | 3 | 0.1% |
| C1 | Alien in transit | 2 | 0.1% |
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 2 | 0.1% |
| A3 | Attendant, servant, or personal employee of A1 or A2, or immediate family | 1 | 0% |
| I | Representative of foreign information media, spouse and children | 1 | 0% |
| L1 | Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation) | 1 | 0% |
| M1 | Vocational student and other nonacademic student | 1 | 0% |
| R1 | Alien in a religious occupation | 1 | 0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| G2 | Other representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and immediate family | 14 | 36.8% |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 5 | 13.2% |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 5 | 13.2% |
| K1 | Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen | 4 | 10.5% |
| G4 | International organization officer or employee, and immediate family | 3 | 7.9% |
| K2 | Child of K-1 | 3 | 7.9% |
| B1/B2 | Temporary visitor for business and pleasure | 2 | 5.3% |
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 1 | 2.6% |
| P1 | Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group | 1 | 2.6% |
Immigrant visa classes, September 2025 (foreign state of chargeability)
| Class | Description (State Department) | Issued | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| IR2 | Child of U.S. citizen | 22 | 46.8% |
| IR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen | 15 | 31.9% |
| IR5 | Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age | 6 | 12.8% |
| IR3 | Orphan adopted abroad by U.S. citizen | 4 | 8.5% |
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 | 1,963 | 1,491 | 111 | 28 | — |
| FY2016 | 1,761 | 1,294 | 156 | 12 | -10% |
| FY2017 | 2,419 | 1,885 | 151 | 8 | +37% |
| FY2018 | 1,772 | 1,317 | 100 | 8 | -27% |
| FY2019 | 2,095 | 1,539 | 137 | 5 | +18% |
| FY2020 | 870 | 601 | 39 | 8 | -58% |
| FY2021 | 805 | 410 | 114 | 5 | -7% |
| FY2022 | 3,096 | 2,166 | 255 | 7 | +285% |
| FY2023 | 4,925 | 3,832 | 394 | 28 | +59% |
| FY2024 | 3,268 | 1,886 | 328 | 8 | -34% |
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: Sierra Leone. Grey bar: Africa 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 Sierra Leone | Share of all selectees | All selectees |
|---|---|---|---|
| DV-2016 | 2,141 | 2.3% | 91,563 |
| DV-2017 | 2,065 | 2.5% | 83,910 |
| DV-2018 | 1,790 | 1.5% | 115,968 |
| DV-2019 | 1,207 | 1.4% | 87,610 |
| DV-2020 | 217 | 0.3% | 83,884 |
| DV-2021 | 504 | 0.4% | 132,404 |
| DV-2022 | 271 | 0.2% | 119,021 |
| DV-2023 | 522 | 0.4% | 119,262 |
| DV-2024 | 735 | 0.5% | 142,947 |
| DV-2025 | 957 | 0.7% | 131,060 |
| DV-2026 | 639 | 0.5% | 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.
U.S. posts in Sierra Leone
- Freetown: 50 nonimmigrant visas issued in Sep 2025, to applicants of all nationalities
Questions and answers
What is the U.S. visa refusal rate for nationals of Sierra Leone?
The State Department's adjusted refusal rate for B (business and tourist) visas was 70.55% in FY2025 against a Africa median of 55.57%. 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 Sierra Leone last year?
3,268 nonimmigrant visas in FY2024, Report of the Visa Office, the Department's final annual figure. In September 2025, the latest monthly report, 38 were issued.
How does September 2025 compare with a year earlier for Sierra Leone?
38 nonimmigrant visas, down 88% on September 2024 (316). Months are compared one to one; the Department says its monthly reports should not be added together.
Which visa classes do nationals of Sierra Leone receive most?
B1/B2 (1,674), A2 (351), G2 (313), K1 (222) and F1 (217) in FY2024, Report of the Visa Office.
How many DV lottery selectees did Sierra Leone have?
639 for DV-2026, 0.5% of all selectees. Earlier years: DV-2022 271, DV-2023 522, DV-2024 735, DV-2025 957. Being selected is not a visa; the Department selects more entrants than there are visas available.
Where do nationals of Sierra Leone apply?
Freetown is the U.S. post in Sierra Leone. Nationals may also apply at posts elsewhere, subject to each post's rules, so the nationality figures on this page and the post figures are different counts.
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.