Sofia · Bulgaria · May 2025
Visas issued at Sofia in May 2025
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) | May 2025 | Share | Apr 2025 | May 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1/B2 | Temporary visitor for business and pleasure | 941 | 51.1% | 915 | 1,176 |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 724 | 39.3% | 1,601 | 654 |
| C1/D | Combined transit and crewmember visa | 91 | 4.9% | 113 | 102 |
| F1 | Student in an academic or language training program | 26 | 1.4% | 5 | 26 |
| H2B | Temporary worker performing other services | 24 | 1.3% | 38 | 13 |
| B1 | Temporary visitor for business | 8 | 0.4% | 10 | 6 |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 7 | 0.4% | 6 | 55 |
| 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 | 6 | 0.3% | 5 | 13 |
| E2 | Treaty investor, spouse or child | 3 | 0.2% | 9 | 1 |
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 2 | 0.1% | 3 | 6 |
| L1 | Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation) | 2 | 0.1% | 3 | 3 |
| R2 | Spouse or child of R1 | 2 | 0.1% | 0 | 0 |
| A1 | Ambassador, public minister, career diplomat or consular officer, or immediate family | 1 | 0.1% | 2 | 0 |
| G4 | International organization officer or employee, and immediate family | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 6 |
| H3 | Trainee | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 0 |
| I | Representative of foreign information media, spouse and children | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 5 |
| L2 | Spouse or child of intracompany transferee | 1 | 0.1% | 4 | 0 |
| R1 | Alien in a religious occupation | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 0 |
Immigrant classes
| Class | Description (State Department) | May 2025 | Share | Apr 2025 | May 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR5 | Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age | 8 | 30.8% | 7 | 5 |
| F3 | Family third preference: married son or daughter of U.S. citizen, spouse and child (F31, F32, F33, C31-C33, B31-B33) | 7 | 26.9% | 0 | 0 |
| IR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen | 4 | 15.4% | 3 | 1 |
| IH3 | Child adopted abroad by U.S. citizen under Hague Convention | 2 | 7.7% | 5 | 2 |
| IR2 | Child of U.S. citizen | 2 | 7.7% | 5 | 1 |
| DV | Diversity immigrant (DV1, DV2, DV3) | 1 | 3.8% | 8 | 0 |
| F1 | Family first preference: unmarried son or daughter of U.S. citizen, and child (F11, F12, B11, B12) | 1 | 3.8% | 1 | 0 |
| F4 | Family fourth preference: brother or sister of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age, spouse and child (F41, F42, F43) | 1 | 3.8% | 0 | 6 |
Context
| May 2025 | Sofia | All posts |
|---|---|---|
| Nonimmigrant visas | 1,842 | 897,937 |
| Change on previous month | -32% | -10% |
| Change on same month a year earlier | -11% | -16% |
| Immigrant visas | 26 | 46,751 |
Nearest wait-time reading on or before the end of May 2025 (1 May 2025): B1/B2 next available 1.5 months; F, M, J 1.5 months; H, L, O, P, Q 1 month.
Other months at this post: Sep 2025 · Aug 2025 · Jul 2025 · Jun 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 · Jan 2024 · Dec 2023 · Nov 2023 · Oct 2023. Back to the Sofia page.
Questions and answers
How many visas did Sofia issue in May 2025?
1,842 nonimmigrant visas and 26 immigrant visas, per the State Department's monthly tables for May 2025. That was the 85th largest nonimmigrant count among 217 posts that month.
How did May 2025 compare with the month before and a year earlier at Sofia?
April 2025: 2,723 nonimmigrant visas (-32% to May 2025). May 2024: 2,077 (-11%).
Which classes made up the month?
B1/B2 941 (51.1%), J1 724 (39.3%), C1/D 91 (4.9%), F1 26 (1.4%), H2B 24 (1.3%).
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 May 2025, public domain. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections.