Months › March 2021
March 2021 · all posts · fiscal year 2021
U.S. visa issuances in March 2021
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 260,493 nonimmigrant visas in March 2021, more than the 168,361 of the previous month and -35% against the same month a year earlier (400,503).
21,670 immigrant visas were issued in the month, against 24,383 a year earlier.
The largest posts were Monterrey (43,630), Mexico City (31,514) and Chennai (14,182); 217 posts appear in the month's tables.
B1/B2 at 31.8%, H2A at 15.6% and BBBCC at 14.5% made up the largest shares of the month's nonimmigrant issuances.
Worldwide nonimmigrant issuances, 24 months to Mar 2021
VisitorsStudents and exchange visitorsTemporary workersDiplomatic, official and international organisationTransit and crewOther nonimmigrant classes
Largest posts in Mar 2021
| Post | Country | Nonimmigrant | Immigrant | vs prior month | vs year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterrey | Mexico | 43,630 | 0 | +97% | +19% |
| Mexico City | Mexico | 31,514 | 0 | +88% | -16% |
| Chennai | India | 14,182 | 0 | +35% | +21% |
| New Delhi | India | 13,267 | 50 | +36% | +48% |
| Tijuana | Mexico | 11,622 | 0 | +23% | +4% |
| Manila | Philippines | 9,393 | 1,992 | +48% | -11% |
| Santo Domingo | Dominican Republic | 8,594 | 1,094 | +56% | +43% |
| Hyderabad | India | 5,516 | 0 | +73% | -16% |
| Mumbai | India | 5,104 | 1,173 | +8% | -63% |
| Hermosillo | Mexico | 5,030 | 0 | +98% | -31% |
| Guayaquil | Ecuador | 4,016 | 245 | -1% | -24% |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | 3,911 | 1,169 | +201% | -23% |
| Buenos Aires | Argentina | 3,790 | 71 | +445% | -50% |
| Tel Aviv | Israel | 3,645 | 0 | +102% | -40% |
| Guadalajara | Mexico | 3,504 | 0 | -15% | -70% |
| Nuevo Laredo | Mexico | 3,494 | 0 | +61% | -21% |
| Kingston | Jamaica | 3,342 | 178 | +231% | +26% |
| Guatemala City | Guatemala | 3,066 | 102 | +36% | +15% |
| San Jose | Costa Rica | 2,995 | 68 | +67% | -24% |
| Matamoros | Mexico | 2,941 | 0 | +36% | -25% |
| Lima | Peru | 2,903 | 110 | +106% | -38% |
| Bogota | Colombia | 2,570 | 429 | +66% | -75% |
| Tokyo | Japan | 2,570 | 122 | +68% | -10% |
| Seoul | South Korea | 2,431 | 243 | +5% | +28% |
| Tegucigalpa | Honduras | 2,132 | 179 | +9% | +11% |
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 | Feb 2021 | Mar 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires | 696 | 3,790 | +445% |
| Port-au-Prince | 202 | 842 | +317% |
| Kingston | 1,009 | 3,342 | +231% |
| Ho Chi Minh City | 1,299 | 3,911 | +201% |
| Jerusalem | 230 | 658 | +186% |
| Hanoi | 230 | 589 | +156% |
| Bangkok | 489 | 1,162 | +138% |
| Singapore | 654 | 1,446 | +121% |
Largest falls
| Post | Feb 2021 | Mar 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quito | 3,769 | 1,891 | -50% |
| Ciudad Juarez | 1,455 | 998 | -31% |
| Almaty | 444 | 319 | -28% |
| Merida | 973 | 757 | -22% |
| Vienna | 347 | 280 | -19% |
| Tirana | 451 | 379 | -16% |
| Guadalajara | 4,109 | 3,504 | -15% |
| Asuncion | 251 | 215 | -14% |
Visa classes in Mar 2021
Nonimmigrant
| Class | Issued | Share |
|---|---|---|
| B1/B2 Temporary visitor for business and pleasure | 82,783 | 31.8% |
| H2A Temporary worker performing agricultural service | 40,531 | 15.6% |
| BBBCC Combination B-1/B-2 and Border Crossing Card | 37,759 | 14.5% |
| H2B Temporary worker performing other services | 20,854 | 8% |
| C1/D Combined transit and crewmember visa | 17,169 | 6.6% |
| H1B Temporary worker of distinguished merit and abil | 9,960 | 3.8% |
| H4 Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3 | 8,164 | 3.1% |
| J1 Exchange visitor | 6,020 | 2.3% |
| F1 Student in an academic or language training prog | 5,113 | 2% |
| BBBCV Combination B-1/B-2 and Border Crossing Card (Li | 4,707 | 1.8% |
| A2 Other foreign government official or employee, o | 3,294 | 1.3% |
| E2 Treaty investor, spouse or child | 3,074 | 1.2% |
| L2 Spouse or child of intracompany transferee | 2,679 | 1% |
| TN NAFTA professional | 2,159 | 0.8% |
| L1 Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, | 2,118 | 0.8% |
Immigrant
| Class | Issued | Share |
|---|---|---|
| IR1 Spouse of U.S. citizen | 7,345 | 33.9% |
| IR2 Child of U.S. citizen | 3,890 | 18% |
| CR1 Spouse of U.S. citizen (conditional status) | 2,869 | 13.2% |
| E3 Employment third preference: skilled worker or p | 1,869 | 8.6% |
| FX Family second preference, exempt from country li | 1,267 | 5.8% |
| IR5 Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age | 1,166 | 5.4% |
| F4 Family fourth preference: brother or sister of U | 444 | 2% |
| I5 Investor pilot program (regional center) in targ | 381 | 1.8% |
| SB1 Returning resident | 358 | 1.7% |
| F3 Family third preference: married son or daughter | 350 | 1.6% |
| SQ Immigrant visa class SQ (no description in the D | 317 | 1.5% |
| F2B Family second preference (2B): unmarried son or | 288 | 1.3% |
Mar in other years
| Month | Nonimmigrant | Immigrant |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2019 | 784,192 | 37,618 |
| Mar 2020 | 400,503 | 24,383 |
| Mar 2021 | 260,493 | 21,670 |
| Mar 2022 | 678,586 | 47,555 |
| Mar 2023 | 1,109,079 | 64,714 |
| Mar 2024 | 962,731 | 53,633 |
| Mar 2025 | 1,006,227 | 51,574 |
Questions and answers
How many U.S. visas were issued in March 2021?
260,493 nonimmigrant visas and 21,670 immigrant visas, according to the State Department's monthly tables, which the Department describes as preliminary.
Which posts issued the most visas in March 2021?
Monterrey (43,630), Mexico City (31,514), Chennai (14,182), New Delhi (13,267) and Tijuana (11,622).
Which posts changed most in March 2021?
Among posts with at least 200 issuances in both months, the largest rises on the previous month were Buenos Aires (+445%), Port-au-Prince (+317%) and Kingston (+231%) and the largest falls Quito (-50%), Ciudad Juarez (-31%) and Almaty (-28%).
Where does this data come from?
The State Department's monthly nonimmigrant and immigrant visa issuance tables by post and visa class for March 2021. 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 March 2021, public domain. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections.