Months › October 2019
October 2019 · all posts · fiscal year 2020
U.S. visa issuances in October 2019 222 posts in the month's tables · nonimmigrant issuances +10% on Sep 2019
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.
U.S. posts issued 710,468 nonimmigrant visas in October 2019, about the same as the 646,938 of the previous month and +2% against the same month a year earlier (699,265).
39,966 immigrant visas were issued in the month, against 41,692 a year earlier.
The largest posts were Mexico City (62,259), Shanghai (25,042) and Sao Paulo (23,194); 222 posts appear in the month's tables.
B1/B2 at 61.8%, BBBCC at 15.9% and C1/D at 3.8% made up the largest shares of the month's nonimmigrant issuances.
710,468 nonimmigrant visas +2% vs Oct 2018
39,966 immigrant visas -4% vs a year earlier
+10% vs Sep 2019 646,938 then
61.8% share of B1/B2
Worldwide nonimmigrant issuances, 24 months to Oct 2019 0 444,225 888,450 Visitors Students and exchange visitors Temporary workers Diplomatic, official and international organisation Transit and crew Other nonimmigrant classes Nov 2017 Feb 2018 May 2018 Aug 2018 Nov 2018 Feb 2019 May 2019 Aug 2019 Nov 2017: 635,861 (Visitors 495,471, Students and exchange visitors 37,860, Temporary workers 64,831, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 11,418, Transit and crew 24,201, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,080) Dec 2017: 650,100 (Visitors 483,453, Students and exchange visitors 55,662, Temporary workers 76,688, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 9,157, Transit and crew 23,092, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,048) Jan 2018: 709,408 (Visitors 555,007, Students and exchange visitors 38,047, Temporary workers 75,810, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 11,718, Transit and crew 27,210, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,616) Feb 2018: 617,797 (Visitors 484,183, Students and exchange visitors 24,459, Temporary workers 70,236, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 12,231, Transit and crew 24,965, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,723) Mar 2018: 819,645 (Visitors 643,876, Students and exchange visitors 44,798, Temporary workers 85,250, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15,922, Transit and crew 27,280, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,519) Apr 2018: 859,147 (Visitors 643,408, Students and exchange visitors 70,905, Temporary workers 101,082, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 16,029, Transit and crew 24,786, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,937) May 2018: 888,450 (Visitors 650,161, Students and exchange visitors 112,513, Temporary workers 80,051, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 17,199, Transit and crew 25,225, Other nonimmigrant classes 3,301) Jun 2018: 882,279 (Visitors 624,514, Students and exchange visitors 128,895, Temporary workers 85,006, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 16,073, Transit and crew 24,665, Other nonimmigrant classes 3,126) Jul 2018: 884,357 (Visitors 613,653, Students and exchange visitors 141,304, Temporary workers 84,726, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15,617, Transit and crew 26,095, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,962) Aug 2018: 824,176 (Visitors 618,184, Students and exchange visitors 75,488, Temporary workers 83,785, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15,715, Transit and crew 27,830, Other nonimmigrant classes 3,174) Sep 2018: 620,175 (Visitors 488,328, Students and exchange visitors 26,025, Temporary workers 60,630, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 18,270, Transit and crew 24,130, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,792) Oct 2018: 699,265 (Visitors 564,123, Students and exchange visitors 26,875, Temporary workers 61,230, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 14,216, Transit and crew 29,744, Other nonimmigrant classes 3,077) Nov 2018: 634,246 (Visitors 489,433, Students and exchange visitors 38,840, Temporary workers 67,576, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 11,279, Transit and crew 24,329, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,789) Dec 2018: 605,652 (Visitors 444,233, Students and exchange visitors 52,715, Temporary workers 74,956, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 8,946, Transit and crew 22,110, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,692) Jan 2019: 685,917 (Visitors 528,521, Students and exchange visitors 36,895, Temporary workers 80,587, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 11,828, Transit and crew 25,092, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,994) Feb 2019: 628,837 (Visitors 495,945, Students and exchange visitors 23,880, Temporary workers 69,287, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 11,728, Transit and crew 24,611, Other nonimmigrant classes 3,386) Mar 2019: 784,192 (Visitors 598,448, Students and exchange visitors 44,475, Temporary workers 93,916, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 16,372, Transit and crew 26,911, Other nonimmigrant classes 4,070) Apr 2019: 808,859 (Visitors 594,891, Students and exchange visitors 76,459, Temporary workers 93,185, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 14,751, Transit and crew 25,982, Other nonimmigrant classes 3,591) May 2019: 857,267 (Visitors 611,197, Students and exchange visitors 116,438, Temporary workers 84,354, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 16,543, Transit and crew 24,466, Other nonimmigrant classes 4,269) Jun 2019: 782,583 (Visitors 515,297, Students and exchange visitors 128,342, Temporary workers 98,653, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 14,378, Transit and crew 21,696, Other nonimmigrant classes 4,217) Jul 2019: 810,378 (Visitors 542,277, Students and exchange visitors 136,399, Temporary workers 86,846, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 16,106, Transit and crew 24,445, Other nonimmigrant classes 4,305) Aug 2019: 742,031 (Visitors 539,204, Students and exchange visitors 76,364, Temporary workers 80,776, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15,435, Transit and crew 25,947, Other nonimmigrant classes 4,305) Sep 2019: 646,938 (Visitors 503,868, Students and exchange visitors 25,705, Temporary workers 68,955, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 18,391, Transit and crew 26,260, Other nonimmigrant classes 3,759) Oct 2019: 710,468 (Visitors 562,206, Students and exchange visitors 27,405, Temporary workers 72,570, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15,205, Transit and crew 29,023, Other nonimmigrant classes 4,059) Nonimmigrant visas issued worldwide by month, stacked by broad class group.
Largest posts in Oct 2019 Post Country Nonimmigrant Immigrant vs prior month vs year earlier Mexico City Mexico 62,259 0 +26% +5% Shanghai China 25,042 0 -5% -4% Sao Paulo Brazil 23,194 0 -1% -3% Monterrey Mexico 23,158 0 +12% +10% Buenos Aires Argentina 21,932 48 +31% +27% Bogota Colombia 21,568 410 +17% +9% Mumbai India 19,940 1,957 +15% +5% Manila Philippines 19,359 2,008 +10% 0% Chennai India 18,236 0 -8% +28% Beijing China 17,707 0 -2% -26% Guadalajara Mexico 16,090 0 +46% +2% Guangzhou China 14,558 2,080 +23% -24% Hyderabad India 14,443 0 +43% +46% New Delhi India 12,229 54 -12% +24% Lima Peru 10,844 309 +16% +10% Moscow Russia 10,341 235 +33% +26% London United Kingdom 10,323 443 +30% -5% Tijuana Mexico 10,308 0 +24% -2% Santo Domingo Dominican Republic 9,029 3,440 +17% -6% Rio de Janeiro Brazil 8,931 269 +12% -9% Tel Aviv Israel 8,655 0 -27% -37% Guayaquil Ecuador 8,430 438 -3% +7% Ciudad Juarez Mexico 7,728 4,768 +43% +5% Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam 7,540 3,307 +4% +14% Toronto Canada 7,357 0 +17% +2%
Biggest movers on the previous month Posts with at least 200 nonimmigrant issuances in both months. A move in the count is a move in visas issued; it does not by itself say anything about demand or approval rates.
Largest rises Post Sep 2019 Oct 2019 Change Managua 817 1,860 +128% Bishkek 217 389 +79% San Jose 3,981 6,886 +73% Pristina 276 475 +72% Karachi 1,272 2,055 +62% Algiers 677 1,080 +60% Nogales 1,613 2,502 +55% Nassau 1,043 1,597 +53%
Visa classes in Oct 2019 Nonimmigrant Class Issued Share B1/B2 Temporary visitor for business and pleasure 438,990 61.8% BBBCC Combination B-1/B-2 and Border Crossing Card 113,267 15.9% C1/D Combined transit and crewmember visa 27,098 3.8% H1B Temporary worker of distinguished merit and abil 18,796 2.6% J1 Exchange visitor 15,182 2.1% H4 Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3 9,942 1.4% A2 Other foreign government official or employee, o 9,190 1.3% H2A Temporary worker performing agricultural service 8,360 1.2% F1 Student in an academic or language training prog 7,914 1.1% H2B Temporary worker performing other services 7,249 1% L1 Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, 6,735 0.9% L2 Spouse or child of intracompany transferee 5,853 0.8% BBBCV Combination B-1/B-2 and Border Crossing Card (Li 5,673 0.8% K1 Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen 3,425 0.5% B1 Temporary visitor for business 3,383 0.5%
Immigrant Class Issued Share IR5 Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age 5,742 14.4% IR1 Spouse of U.S. citizen 5,541 13.9% F43 Immigrant visa class F43 (no description in the 3,044 7.6% IR2 Child of U.S. citizen 2,835 7.1% CR1 Spouse of U.S. citizen (conditional status) 2,569 6.4% F41 Immigrant visa class F41 (no description in the 2,448 6.1% FX1 Immigrant visa class FX1 (no description in the 2,037 5.1% F42 Immigrant visa class F42 (no description in the 1,799 4.5% FX2 Immigrant visa class FX2 (no description in the 1,434 3.6% SQ3 Child of SQ1 1,311 3.3% F33 Immigrant visa class F33 (no description in the 818 2% F11 Immigrant visa class F11 (no description in the 808 2%
Oct in other years Month Nonimmigrant Immigrant Oct 2018 699,265 41,692 Oct 2019 710,468 39,966 Oct 2020 124,078 8,687 Oct 2021 296,442 36,245 Oct 2022 704,734 44,750 Oct 2023 885,241 46,695 Oct 2024 977,715 62,832
Questions and answers How many U.S. visas were issued in October 2019? 710,468 nonimmigrant visas and 39,966 immigrant visas, according to the State Department's monthly tables, which the Department describes as preliminary.
Which posts issued the most visas in October 2019? Mexico City (62,259), Shanghai (25,042), Sao Paulo (23,194), Monterrey (23,158) and Buenos Aires (21,932).
Which posts changed most in October 2019? Among posts with at least 200 issuances in both months, the largest rises on the previous month were Managua (+128%), Bishkek (+79%) and San Jose (+73%) and the largest falls Warsaw (-40%), Baghdad (-37%) and Kinshasa (-36%).
Where does this data come from? The State Department's monthly nonimmigrant and immigrant visa issuance tables by post and visa class for October 2019. Data through 30 Sep 2025.
Provenance Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Monthly Nonimmigrant and Immigrant Visa Issuances by Post and Visa Class for October 2019, public domain. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections .