Posts › Colombo › December 2024
Colombo · Sri Lanka · December 2024
Visas issued at Colombo in December 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) | Dec 2024 | Share | Nov 2024 | Dec 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1/B2 | Temporary visitor for business and pleasure | 390 | 63.9% | 401 | 579 |
| F1 | Student in an academic or language training program | 72 | 11.8% | 45 | 56 |
| C1/D | Combined transit and crewmember visa | 38 | 6.2% | 73 | 70 |
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 33 | 5.4% | 20 | 26 |
| F2 | Spouse or child of F1 | 21 | 3.4% | 16 | 10 |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 13 | 2.1% | 21 | 6 |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 11 | 1.8% | 7 | 4 |
| G4 | International organization officer or employee, and immediate family | 7 | 1.1% | 7 | 13 |
| H4 | Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3 | 5 | 0.8% | 8 | 6 |
| R1 | Alien in a religious occupation | 4 | 0.7% | 5 | 4 |
| A1 | Ambassador, public minister, career diplomat or consular officer, or immediate family | 3 | 0.5% | 0 | 0 |
| J2 | Spouse or child of exchange visitor | 3 | 0.5% | 3 | 3 |
| L1 | Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation) | 3 | 0.5% | 5 | 4 |
| L2 | Spouse or child of intracompany transferee | 3 | 0.5% | 8 | 5 |
| G1 | Principal resident representative of recognized foreign government to international organization, staff, or immediate family | 1 | 0.2% | 2 | 0 |
| M2 | Spouse or child of vocational student | 1 | 0.2% | 0 | 0 |
| O1 | Person with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0 |
| P1 | Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group | 1 | 0.2% | 0 | 0 |
Immigrant classes
| Class | Description (State Department) | Dec 2024 | Share | Nov 2024 | Dec 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR5 | Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age | 8 | 22.2% | 11 | 22 |
| DV | Diversity immigrant (DV1, DV2, DV3) | 7 | 19.4% | 0 | 0 |
| IR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen | 7 | 19.4% | 4 | 6 |
| E2 | Employment second preference: professional holding advanced degree or alien of exceptional ability, spouse and child (E21-E23) | 3 | 8.3% | 3 | 1 |
| F2A | Family second preference (2A): spouse or child of lawful permanent resident (F21, F22, F23, C21-C23, B21-B23) | 3 | 8.3% | 1 | 0 |
| F3 | Family third preference: married son or daughter of U.S. citizen, spouse and child (F31, F32, F33, C31-C33, B31-B33) | 2 | 5.6% | 0 | 5 |
| CR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen (conditional status) | 1 | 2.8% | 3 | 14 |
| E3 | Employment third preference: skilled worker or professional holding baccalaureate degree, spouse and child (E31, E32, E34, E35) | 1 | 2.8% | 1 | 5 |
| F2B | Family second preference (2B): unmarried son or daughter of lawful permanent resident, and child (F24, F25, C24, C25, B24, B25) | 1 | 2.8% | 0 | 3 |
| GV1 | Certain employee or former employee of the U.S. Government abroad | 1 | 2.8% | 0 | 0 |
| GV2 | Spouse of GV1 | 1 | 2.8% | 0 | 0 |
| GV3 | Child of GV1 | 1 | 2.8% | 0 | 0 |
Context
| December 2024 | Colombo | All posts |
|---|---|---|
| Nonimmigrant visas | 610 | 884,739 |
| Change on previous month | -5% | +9% |
| Change on same month a year earlier | -25% | +17% |
| Immigrant visas | 36 | 50,944 |
Nearest wait-time reading on or before the end of Dec 2024 (1 Dec 2024): B1/B2 next available 115 days; F, M, J 15 days; H, L, O, P, Q 10 days.
Other months at this post: Sep 2025 · Aug 2025 · Jul 2025 · Jun 2025 · May 2025 · Apr 2025 · Mar 2025 · Feb 2025 · Jan 2025 · 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 Colombo page.
Questions and answers
How many visas did Colombo issue in December 2024?
610 nonimmigrant visas and 36 immigrant visas, per the State Department's monthly tables for December 2024. That was the 136th largest nonimmigrant count among 216 posts that month.
How did December 2024 compare with the month before and a year earlier at Colombo?
November 2024: 644 nonimmigrant visas (-5% to Dec 2024). December 2023: 816 (-25%).
Which classes made up the month?
B1/B2 390 (63.9%), F1 72 (11.8%), C1/D 38 (6.2%), H1B 33 (5.4%), F2 21 (3.4%).
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 December 2024, public domain. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections.