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Chennai · India · January 2025
Visas issued at Chennai in January 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) | Jan 2025 | Share | Dec 2024 | Jan 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 12,077 | 50.4% | 16,601 | 7,968 |
| H4 | Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3 | 5,780 | 24.1% | 5,961 | 3,312 |
| B1/B2 | Temporary visitor for business and pleasure | 2,132 | 8.9% | 192 | 9,050 |
| L1 | Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation) | 1,228 | 5.1% | 1,383 | 742 |
| L2 | Spouse or child of intracompany transferee | 1,034 | 4.3% | 1,261 | 598 |
| F1 | Student in an academic or language training program | 559 | 2.3% | 1,682 | 953 |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 398 | 1.7% | 371 | 229 |
| C1/D | Combined transit and crewmember visa | 354 | 1.5% | 427 | 1,329 |
| J2 | Spouse or child of exchange visitor | 143 | 0.6% | 115 | 81 |
| O1 | Person with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics | 125 | 0.5% | 163 | 92 |
| F2 | Spouse or child of F1 | 49 | 0.2% | 87 | 67 |
| P3 | Artist or entertainer in a culturally unique program | 33 | 0.1% | 12 | 49 |
| G4 | International organization officer or employee, and immediate family | 27 | 0.1% | 30 | 15 |
| O3 | Spouse or child of O-1 or O-2 | 13 | 0.1% | 36 | 15 |
| O2 | Person accompanying and assisting in the artistic or athletic performance by O-1 | 9 | 0% | 17 | 9 |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 7 | 0% | 0 | 0 |
| C1 | Alien in transit | 4 | 0% | 4 | 1 |
| R1 | Alien in a religious occupation | 3 | 0% | 14 | 57 |
| E3R | Returning Australian specialty occupation professional | 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 |
| M1 | Vocational student and other nonacademic student | 2 | 0% | 7 | 5 |
| P1 | Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group | 2 | 0% | 1 | 2 |
| B2 | Temporary visitor for pleasure | 1 | 0% | 0 | 2 |
| C2 | Alien in transit to United Nations Headquarters district | 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 |
| I | Representative of foreign information media, spouse and children | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 |
| P4 | Spouse or child of P-1, P-2, or P-3 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 2 |
Context
| January 2025 | Chennai | All posts |
|---|---|---|
| Nonimmigrant visas | 23,985 | 954,595 |
| Change on previous month | -15% | +8% |
| Change on same month a year earlier | -3% | +9% |
| Immigrant visas | 0 | 54,288 |
Nearest wait-time reading on or before the end of Jan 2025 (6 Jan 2025): B1/B2 next available 425 days; F, M, J 93 days; H, L, O, P, Q 50 days.
Other months at this post: Sep 2025 · Aug 2025 · Jul 2025 · Jun 2025 · May 2025 · Apr 2025 · Mar 2025 · Feb 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 Chennai page.
Questions and answers
How many visas did Chennai issue in January 2025?
23,985 nonimmigrant visas and 0 immigrant visas, per the State Department's monthly tables for January 2025. That was the 8th largest nonimmigrant count among 216 posts that month.
How did January 2025 compare with the month before and a year earlier at Chennai?
December 2024: 28,375 nonimmigrant visas (-15% to Jan 2025). January 2024: 24,604 (-3%).
Which classes made up the month?
H1B 12,077 (50.4%), H4 5,780 (24.1%), B1/B2 2,132 (8.9%), L1 1,228 (5.1%), L2 1,034 (4.3%).
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 January 2025, public domain. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections.