Cape Town · South Africa · May 2025
Visas issued at Cape Town 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 | 887 | 56.3% | 1,054 | 1,422 |
| H2A | Temporary worker performing agricultural services | 181 | 11.5% | 684 | 195 |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 143 | 9.1% | 177 | 140 |
| C1/D | Combined transit and crewmember visa | 100 | 6.3% | 128 | 123 |
| F1 | Student in an academic or language training program | 92 | 5.8% | 39 | 74 |
| H2B | Temporary worker performing other services | 43 | 2.7% | 132 | 38 |
| H4 | Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3 | 36 | 2.3% | 75 | 14 |
| B1 | Temporary visitor for business | 21 | 1.3% | 5 | 11 |
| L2 | Spouse or child of intracompany transferee | 19 | 1.2% | 8 | 5 |
| L1 | Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation) | 17 | 1.1% | 16 | 10 |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 5 | 0.3% | 0 | 0 |
| P3 | Artist or entertainer in a culturally unique program | 5 | 0.3% | 1 | 1 |
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 4 | 0.3% | 4 | 8 |
| I | Representative of foreign information media, spouse and children | 4 | 0.3% | 1 | 4 |
| P1 | Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group | 4 | 0.3% | 0 | 3 |
| M1 | Vocational student and other nonacademic student | 3 | 0.2% | 1 | 0 |
| F2 | Spouse or child of F1 | 2 | 0.1% | 0 | 1 |
| O1 | Person with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics | 2 | 0.1% | 5 | 4 |
| O3 | Spouse or child of O-1 or O-2 | 2 | 0.1% | 3 | 0 |
| A1 | Ambassador, public minister, career diplomat or consular officer, or immediate family | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 0 |
| C1 | Alien in transit | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 3 |
| G2 | Other representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and immediate family | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 0 |
| J2 | Spouse or child of exchange visitor | 1 | 0.1% | 3 | 3 |
| P4 | Spouse or child of P-1, P-2, or P-3 | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 0 |
| R1 | Alien in a religious occupation | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 2 |
Context
| May 2025 | Cape Town | All posts |
|---|---|---|
| Nonimmigrant visas | 1,576 | 897,937 |
| Change on previous month | -33% | -10% |
| Change on same month a year earlier | -24% | -16% |
| Immigrant visas | 0 | 46,751 |
Nearest wait-time reading on or before the end of May 2025 (1 May 2025): B1/B2 next available 1 month; F, M, J under ½ month; H, L, O, P, Q 0.5 months.
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 Cape Town page.
Questions and answers
How many visas did Cape Town issue in May 2025?
1,576 nonimmigrant visas and 0 immigrant visas, per the State Department's monthly tables for May 2025. That was the 95th largest nonimmigrant count among 217 posts that month.
How did May 2025 compare with the month before and a year earlier at Cape Town?
April 2025: 2,341 nonimmigrant visas (-33% to May 2025). May 2024: 2,061 (-24%).
Which classes made up the month?
B1/B2 887 (56.3%), H2A 181 (11.5%), J1 143 (9.1%), C1/D 100 (6.3%), F1 92 (5.8%).
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.