Sofia · Bulgaria · January 2024
Visas issued at Sofia in January 2024
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.
Nonimmigrant classes
| Class | Description (State Department) | Jan 2024 | Share | Dec 2023 | Jan 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1/B2 | Temporary visitor for business and pleasure | 1,284 | 84.4% | 737 | 1,277 |
| C1/D | Combined transit and crewmember visa | 78 | 5.1% | 45 | 84 |
| P1 | Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group | 41 | 2.7% | 0 | 2 |
| B1 | Temporary visitor for business | 32 | 2.1% | 0 | 10 |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 29 | 1.9% | 11 | 52 |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 17 | 1.1% | 1 | 3 |
| 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 | 9 | 0.6% | 1 | 5 |
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 6 | 0.4% | 7 | 7 |
| A1 | Ambassador, public minister, career diplomat or consular officer, or immediate family | 4 | 0.3% | 0 | 2 |
| F1 | Student in an academic or language training program | 4 | 0.3% | 9 | 7 |
| E2 | Treaty investor, spouse or child | 3 | 0.2% | 10 | 0 |
| K1 | Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen | 3 | 0.2% | 1 | 1 |
| L1 | Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation) | 3 | 0.2% | 2 | 5 |
| H2B | Temporary worker performing other services | 2 | 0.1% | 32 | 65 |
| O1 | Person with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics | 2 | 0.1% | 2 | 2 |
| P3 | Artist or entertainer in a culturally unique program | 2 | 0.1% | 10 | 2 |
| A3 | Attendant, servant, or personal employee of A1 or A2, or immediate family | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 0 |
| G2 | Other representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and immediate family | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 1 |
| G4 | International organization officer or employee, and immediate family | 1 | 0.1% | 2 | 1 |
Immigrant classes
| Class | Description (State Department) | Jan 2024 | Share | Dec 2023 | Jan 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR5 | Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age | 15 | 44.1% | 15 | 8 |
| DV | Diversity immigrant (DV1, DV2, DV3) | 5 | 14.7% | 0 | 8 |
| IR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen | 5 | 14.7% | 2 | 2 |
| CR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen (conditional status) | 3 | 8.8% | 5 | 2 |
| E1 | Employment first preference (priority workers): person with extraordinary ability, outstanding professor or researcher, multinational executive or manager, spouse and child (E11-E15) | 2 | 5.9% | 0 | 0 |
| IH3 | Child adopted abroad by U.S. citizen under Hague Convention | 2 | 5.9% | 15 | 8 |
| IR2 | Child of U.S. citizen | 1 | 2.9% | 1 | 0 |
| SQ1 | Certain Iraqis or Afghans employed by or on behalf of the U.S. Government | 1 | 2.9% | 0 | 0 |
Context
| January 2024 | Sofia | All posts |
|---|---|---|
| Nonimmigrant visas | 1,522 | 875,162 |
| Change on previous month | +73% | +16% |
| Change on same month a year earlier | -1% | +4% |
| Immigrant visas | 34 | 50,517 |
Nearest wait-time reading on or before the end of Jan 2024 (6 Jan 2024): B1/B2 next available 1 day; F, M, J 5 days; H, L, O, P, Q 2 days.
Other months at this post: Sep 2025 · Aug 2025 · Jul 2025 · Jun 2025 · May 2025 · Apr 2025 · Mar 2025 · Feb 2025 · Jan 2025 · Dec 2024 · Nov 2024 · Oct 2024 · Sep 2024 · Aug 2024 · Jul 2024 · Jun 2024 · May 2024 · Apr 2024 · Mar 2024 · Feb 2024 · Dec 2023 · Nov 2023 · Oct 2023. Back to the Sofia page.
Questions and answers
How many visas did Sofia issue in January 2024?
1,522 nonimmigrant visas and 34 immigrant visas, per the State Department's monthly tables for January 2024. That was the 102th largest nonimmigrant count among 216 posts that month.
How did January 2024 compare with the month before and a year earlier at Sofia?
December 2023: 881 nonimmigrant visas (+73% to Jan 2024). January 2023: 1,538 (-1%).
Which classes made up the month?
B1/B2 1,284 (84.4%), C1/D 78 (5.1%), P1 41 (2.7%), B1 32 (2.1%), J1 29 (1.9%).
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances by Post and Visa Class and Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances by Post and Visa Class for January 2024, public domain. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections.