Bern · Switzerland · December 2023
Visas issued at Bern in December 2023
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 2023 | Share | Nov 2023 | Dec 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1/B2 | Temporary visitor for business and pleasure | 1,020 | 59.9% | 1,358 | 1,394 |
| J1 | Exchange visitor | 125 | 7.3% | 114 | 156 |
| F1 | Student in an academic or language training program | 120 | 7% | 97 | 165 |
| C1/D | Combined transit and crewmember visa | 98 | 5.8% | 86 | 108 |
| L1 | Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation) | 60 | 3.5% | 58 | 94 |
| L2 | Spouse or child of intracompany transferee | 51 | 3% | 30 | 80 |
| H1B | Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability performing services other than as a registered nurse | 30 | 1.8% | 22 | 31 |
| O1 | Person with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics | 30 | 1.8% | 16 | 24 |
| A2 | Other foreign government official or employee, or immediate family | 22 | 1.3% | 14 | 21 |
| G4 | International organization officer or employee, and immediate family | 22 | 1.3% | 66 | 33 |
| E2 | Treaty investor, spouse or child | 19 | 1.1% | 17 | 37 |
| O3 | Spouse or child of O-1 or O-2 | 19 | 1.1% | 3 | 12 |
| G2 | Other representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, and immediate family | 13 | 0.8% | 30 | 10 |
| M1 | Vocational student and other nonacademic student | 13 | 0.8% | 4 | 1 |
| J2 | Spouse or child of exchange visitor | 12 | 0.7% | 12 | 24 |
| I | Representative of foreign information media, spouse and children | 9 | 0.5% | 7 | 5 |
| H4 | Spouse or child of H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3 | 8 | 0.5% | 4 | 2 |
| B1 | Temporary visitor for business | 5 | 0.3% | 12 | 10 |
| P1 | Internationally recognized athlete or member of internationally recognized entertainment group | 5 | 0.3% | 1 | 10 |
| B2 | Temporary visitor for pleasure | 4 | 0.2% | 21 | 2 |
| R2 | Spouse or child of R1 | 4 | 0.2% | 2 | 0 |
| E3 | Australian specialty occupation professional | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | 0 |
| E3D | Spouse or child of Australian specialty occupation professional | 2 | 0.1% | 3 | 2 |
| P4 | Spouse or child of P-1, P-2, or P-3 | 2 | 0.1% | 0 | 0 |
| R1 | Alien in a religious occupation | 2 | 0.1% | 3 | 1 |
| A1 | Ambassador, public minister, career diplomat or consular officer, or immediate family | 1 | 0.1% | 4 | 3 |
| C3 | Foreign government official, immediate family, attendant, servant or personal employee, in transit | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 1 |
| G1 | Principal resident representative of recognized foreign government to international organization, staff, or immediate family | 1 | 0.1% | 4 | 1 |
| H1B1 | Free Trade Agreement professional | 1 | 0.1% | 0 | 0 |
| K1 | Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen | 1 | 0.1% | 3 | 1 |
| O2 | Person accompanying and assisting in the artistic or athletic performance by O-1 | 1 | 0.1% | 1 | 1 |
Immigrant classes
| Class | Description (State Department) | Dec 2023 | Share | Nov 2023 | Dec 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR5 | Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age | 5 | 31.3% | 4 | 2 |
| IR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen | 4 | 25% | 4 | 9 |
| CR1 | Spouse of U.S. citizen (conditional status) | 3 | 18.8% | 3 | 4 |
| I5 | Investor pilot program (regional center) in targeted area, spouse and child (I51-I53) | 2 | 12.5% | 0 | 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 | 6.3% | 0 | 4 |
| IR2 | Child of U.S. citizen | 1 | 6.3% | 0 | 0 |
Context
| December 2023 | Bern | All posts |
|---|---|---|
| Nonimmigrant visas | 1,703 | 755,973 |
| Change on previous month | -15% | -7% |
| Change on same month a year earlier | -24% | +1% |
| Immigrant visas | 16 | 46,279 |
Nearest wait-time reading on or before the end of Dec 2023 (17 Dec 2023): B1/B2 next available 28 days; F, M, J 28 days; H, L, O, P, Q 28 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 · Jan 2024 · Nov 2023 · Oct 2023. Back to the Bern page.
Questions and answers
How many visas did Bern issue in December 2023?
1,703 nonimmigrant visas and 16 immigrant visas, per the State Department's monthly tables for December 2023. That was the 88th largest nonimmigrant count among 217 posts that month.
How did December 2023 compare with the month before and a year earlier at Bern?
November 2023: 1,997 nonimmigrant visas (-15% to Dec 2023). December 2022: 2,232 (-24%).
Which classes made up the month?
B1/B2 1,020 (59.9%), J1 125 (7.3%), F1 120 (7%), C1/D 98 (5.8%), L1 60 (3.5%).
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 2023, public domain. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections.