Months › May 2023
May 2023 · all posts · fiscal year 2023
U.S. visa issuances in May 2023 216 posts in the month's tables · nonimmigrant issuances +19% on Apr 2023
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 1,013,283 nonimmigrant visas in May 2023, about the same as the 850,597 of the previous month and +51% against the same month a year earlier (668,835).
57,068 immigrant visas were issued in the month, against 42,096 a year earlier.
The largest posts were Monterrey (61,700), Mexico City (51,012) and Bogota (48,908); 216 posts appear in the month's tables.
B1/B2 at 56%, BBBCC at 14.4% and J1 at 5.4% made up the largest shares of the month's nonimmigrant issuances.
1,013,283 nonimmigrant visas +51% vs May 2022
57,068 immigrant visas +36% vs a year earlier
+19% vs Apr 2023 850,597 then
56% share of B1/B2
Worldwide nonimmigrant issuances, 24 months to May 2023 0 554,540 1,109,079 Visitors Students and exchange visitors Temporary workers Diplomatic, official and international organisation Transit and crew Other nonimmigrant classes Jun 2021 Sep 2021 Dec 2021 Mar 2022 Jun 2022 Sep 2022 Dec 2022 Mar 2023 Jun 2021: 349,285 (Visitors 147,861, Students and exchange visitors 113,361, Temporary workers 59,011, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 10,384, Transit and crew 15,933, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,735) Jul 2021: 355,388 (Visitors 145,725, Students and exchange visitors 131,533, Temporary workers 50,653, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 9,877, Transit and crew 14,762, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,838) Aug 2021: 333,506 (Visitors 161,826, Students and exchange visitors 85,704, Temporary workers 57,790, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 10,898, Transit and crew 14,913, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,375) Sep 2021: 290,312 (Visitors 164,155, Students and exchange visitors 25,047, Temporary workers 66,218, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 13,309, Transit and crew 18,638, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,945) Oct 2021: 296,442 (Visitors 179,611, Students and exchange visitors 25,853, Temporary workers 60,757, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 10,297, Transit and crew 17,114, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,810) Nov 2021: 391,022 (Visitors 247,751, Students and exchange visitors 50,545, Temporary workers 64,193, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 9,483, Transit and crew 16,513, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,537) Dec 2021: 435,665 (Visitors 286,772, Students and exchange visitors 58,872, Temporary workers 62,560, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 8,430, Transit and crew 16,420, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,611) Jan 2022: 414,383 (Visitors 285,543, Students and exchange visitors 28,873, Temporary workers 72,901, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 6,645, Transit and crew 18,221, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,200) Feb 2022: 484,571 (Visitors 337,493, Students and exchange visitors 25,038, Temporary workers 93,773, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 8,814, Transit and crew 17,514, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,939) Mar 2022: 678,586 (Visitors 448,315, Students and exchange visitors 42,843, Temporary workers 148,986, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 12,268, Transit and crew 24,051, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,123) Apr 2022: 605,651 (Visitors 391,145, Students and exchange visitors 52,830, Temporary workers 126,203, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 12,670, Transit and crew 20,916, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,887) May 2022: 668,835 (Visitors 437,314, Students and exchange visitors 87,029, Temporary workers 105,958, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 13,889, Transit and crew 22,323, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,322) Jun 2022: 722,962 (Visitors 434,391, Students and exchange visitors 138,599, Temporary workers 105,058, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15,560, Transit and crew 27,006, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,348) Jul 2022: 656,119 (Visitors 393,682, Students and exchange visitors 135,799, Temporary workers 84,590, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 13,520, Transit and crew 26,336, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,192) Aug 2022: 754,062 (Visitors 522,745, Students and exchange visitors 86,727, Temporary workers 94,265, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15,877, Transit and crew 32,437, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,011) Sep 2022: 718,175 (Visitors 543,927, Students and exchange visitors 25,593, Temporary workers 97,179, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 18,565, Transit and crew 31,059, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,852) Oct 2022: 704,734 (Visitors 532,547, Students and exchange visitors 28,714, Temporary workers 93,681, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 13,957, Transit and crew 34,055, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,780) Nov 2022: 739,257 (Visitors 548,456, Students and exchange visitors 49,020, Temporary workers 94,646, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 11,912, Transit and crew 33,639, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,584) Dec 2022: 747,686 (Visitors 557,550, Students and exchange visitors 64,540, Temporary workers 85,372, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 9,184, Transit and crew 29,657, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,383) Jan 2023: 842,689 (Visitors 670,497, Students and exchange visitors 33,497, Temporary workers 95,888, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 10,482, Transit and crew 30,888, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,437) Feb 2023: 853,572 (Visitors 678,072, Students and exchange visitors 25,355, Temporary workers 106,275, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 12,317, Transit and crew 29,923, Other nonimmigrant classes 1,630) Mar 2023: 1,109,079 (Visitors 837,652, Students and exchange visitors 51,272, Temporary workers 165,558, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15,871, Transit and crew 36,511, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,215) Apr 2023: 850,597 (Visitors 606,157, Students and exchange visitors 74,142, Temporary workers 126,176, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 14,537, Transit and crew 27,398, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,187) May 2023: 1,013,283 (Visitors 720,349, Students and exchange visitors 105,366, Temporary workers 134,306, Diplomatic, official and international organisation 15,992, Transit and crew 34,406, Other nonimmigrant classes 2,864) Nonimmigrant visas issued worldwide by month, stacked by broad class group.
Largest posts in May 2023 Post Country Nonimmigrant Immigrant vs prior month vs year earlier Monterrey Mexico 61,700 0 +22% +32% Mexico City Mexico 51,012 2 +5% +7% Bogota Colombia 48,908 950 +9% +199% Sao Paulo Brazil 43,355 0 +15% +31% Guadalajara Mexico 38,015 0 +18% +26% Chennai India 30,937 0 +50% +108% Mumbai India 30,202 3,078 +37% +170% New Delhi India 27,077 42 +24% +12% Buenos Aires Argentina 25,696 122 +4% +4% Manila Philippines 23,091 2,753 +28% +39% Rio de Janeiro Brazil 22,383 725 +26% +34% Tijuana Mexico 18,574 0 -2% +49% Brasilia Brazil 17,764 0 +30% +87% Hyderabad India 17,418 0 +41% +63% Tel Aviv Israel 17,390 0 +71% +90% London United Kingdom 16,820 380 +12% +40% Ciudad Juarez Mexico 15,018 6,956 -16% +35% Beijing China 14,591 0 -19% +230% Quito Ecuador 13,897 0 0% +14% Santo Domingo Dominican Republic 13,661 5,310 +13% +86% Shanghai China 12,975 0 +41% — Kingston Jamaica 10,621 1,217 +15% +120% Porto Alegre Brazil 10,591 0 +48% +22% Hermosillo Mexico 10,417 0 +16% +105% Lima Peru 10,326 686 +35% +58%
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 Apr 2023 May 2023 Change Wuhan 719 3,274 +355% Taipei 1,930 4,525 +134% Belfast 406 894 +120% Naples 248 524 +111% Jerusalem 1,342 2,775 +107% Doha 3,611 7,017 +94% Amman 2,032 3,854 +90% Dhahran 1,423 2,702 +90%
Visa classes in May 2023 Nonimmigrant Class Issued Share B1/B2 Temporary visitor for business and pleasure 567,093 56% BBBCC Combination B-1/B-2 and Border Crossing Card 145,492 14.4% J1 Exchange visitor 55,033 5.4% F1 Student in an academic or language training prog 43,607 4.3% H2A Temporary worker performing agricultural service 41,613 4.1% C1/D Combined transit and crewmember visa 32,312 3.2% H1B Temporary worker of distinguished merit and abil 25,062 2.5% H4 Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3 20,340 2% H2B Temporary worker performing other services 15,643 1.5% A2 Other foreign government official or employee, o 10,078 1% L2 Spouse or child of intracompany transferee 7,262 0.7% L1 Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, 6,332 0.6% E2 Treaty investor, spouse or child 4,281 0.4% BBBCV Combination B-1/B-2 and Border Crossing Card (Li 3,808 0.4% J2 Spouse or child of exchange visitor 3,253 0.3%
Immigrant Class Issued Share IR5 Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age 10,010 17.5% DV Diversity immigrant (DV1, DV2, DV3) 7,749 13.6% IR1 Spouse of U.S. citizen 7,245 12.7% FX Family second preference, exempt from country li 4,893 8.6% IR2 Child of U.S. citizen 4,654 8.2% F2A Family second preference (2A): spouse or child o 4,385 7.7% F4 Family fourth preference: brother or sister of U 3,804 6.7% E3 Employment third preference: skilled worker or p 1,859 3.3% F1 Family first preference: unmarried son or daught 1,778 3.1% F2B Family second preference (2B): unmarried son or 1,706 3% SQ3 Child of SQ1 1,678 2.9% F3 Family third preference: married son or daughter 1,480 2.6%
May in other years Month Nonimmigrant Immigrant May 2019 857,267 39,393 May 2020 40,939 697 May 2021 247,222 26,204 May 2022 668,835 42,096 May 2023 1,013,283 57,068 May 2024 1,070,656 58,778 May 2025 897,937 46,751
Questions and answers How many U.S. visas were issued in May 2023? 1,013,283 nonimmigrant visas and 57,068 immigrant visas, according to the State Department's monthly tables, which the Department describes as preliminary.
Which posts issued the most visas in May 2023? Monterrey (61,700), Mexico City (51,012), Bogota (48,908), Sao Paulo (43,355) and Guadalajara (38,015).
Which posts changed most in May 2023? Among posts with at least 200 issuances in both months, the largest rises on the previous month were Wuhan (+355%), Taipei (+134%) and Belfast (+120%) and the largest falls Osaka/Kobe (-34%), Almaty (-32%) and Halifax (-29%).
Where does this data come from? The State Department's monthly nonimmigrant and immigrant visa issuance tables by post and visa class for May 2023. 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 May 2023, public domain. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections .