Visa classes › Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens › IW
IW · immigrant visa · Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens
IW: Certain spouses of deceased U.S. citizens, and their children (IW1, IW2)
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.
IW is the State Department's symbol for "Certain spouses of deceased U.S. citizens, and their children (IW1, IW2)". 55 IW immigrant visas were issued worldwide in September 2025, close to September 2024 (51, +8%), 0.1% of the month's immigrant issuances and the 23rd largest class of 49.
The Department publishes annual totals for immigrant classes separately, in its Report of the Visa Office immigrant visa tables, which this site does not yet carry; this site does not add monthly reports together.
19 posts issued at least one IW visa in September 2025. The largest were Ciudad Juarez (18, 32.7%), Santo Domingo (8, 14.5%) and Manila (5, 9.1%).
By foreign state of chargeability, the largest groups that month were Mexico (18), Dominican Republic (8) and Philippines (5).
The Department publishes annual totals separately, in its Report of the Visa Office; monthly reports are not summed on this site.
Issuances by month
Compared with its group and all immigrant classes
| Measure | IW | Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens group | All immigrant classes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visas issued, Sep 2025 | 55 | 22,659 | 45,966 |
| Change on Sep 2024 | +8% | — | -21% |
| Share of immigrant issuances, Sep 2025 | 0.1% | 49.3% | 100% |
Posts issuing the most IW visas, September 2025
19 posts issued at least one in the month. Shares of the month's IW total: Ciudad Juarez 32.7%, Santo Domingo 14.5%, Manila 9.1%, Guatemala City 5.5%, Nairobi 5.5%.
By foreign state of chargeability, September 2025
| Foreign state of chargeability | Issued, Sep 2025 | Share of IW |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 18 | 32.7% |
| Dominican Republic | 8 | 14.5% |
| Philippines | 5 | 9.1% |
| Guatemala | 3 | 5.5% |
| Brazil | 2 | 3.6% |
| Cuba | 2 | 3.6% |
| Eritrea | 2 | 3.6% |
| India | 2 | 3.6% |
| Kenya | 2 | 3.6% |
| Argentina | 1 | 1.8% |
| Colombia | 1 | 1.8% |
| Ecuador | 1 | 1.8% |
| El Salvador | 1 | 1.8% |
| Hong Kong S.A.R. | 1 | 1.8% |
| Laos | 1 | 1.8% |
| Nigeria | 1 | 1.8% |
| North Macedonia | 1 | 1.8% |
| Senegal | 1 | 1.8% |
| Venezuela | 1 | 1.8% |
| Vietnam | 1 | 1.8% |
Other classes in the same group
- IR5 Parent of U.S. citizen at least 21 years of age (9,027 in Sep 2025)
- IR1 Spouse of U.S. citizen (8,036 in Sep 2025)
- IR2 Child of U.S. citizen (4,052 in Sep 2025)
- CR1 Spouse of U.S. citizen (conditional status) (1,228 in Sep 2025)
- CR2 Child of U.S. citizen (conditional status) (128 in Sep 2025)
- IH3 Child adopted abroad by U.S. citizen under Hague Convention (56 in Sep 2025)
- IR3 Orphan adopted abroad by U.S. citizen (26 in Sep 2025)
- IB1 Self-petition spouse of U.S. citizen (21 in Sep 2025)
- IR4 Orphan to be adopted in the United States by U.S. citizen (15 in Sep 2025)
- IH4 Child to be adopted in U.S. by U.S. citizen under Hague C… (12 in Sep 2025)
- IB2 Self-petition child of U.S. citizen (3 in Sep 2025)
- IB3 Child of IB1 (0 in Sep 2025)
- IW1 Certain spouses of deceased U.S. citizens (0 in Sep 2025)
- IW2 Child of IW1 (0 in Sep 2025)
Questions and answers
What is a IW visa?
The State Department's symbol list describes IW as "Certain spouses of deceased U.S. citizens, and their children (IW1, IW2)". It is an immigrant visa class.
How many IW visas were issued last year?
In September 2025, the latest monthly report, 55 IW visas were issued. The Department publishes annual totals separately; this site does not add monthly reports together.
How does September 2025 compare with a year earlier for IW?
55 issued, close to September 2024 (51, +8%).
Which posts issue the most IW visas?
In September 2025: Ciudad Juarez (18), Santo Domingo (8), Manila (5), Guatemala City (3) and Nairobi (3), out of 19 posts that issued any.
Where does this data come from?
The State Department's monthly immigrant visa issuance tables by post and by foreign state of chargeability, March 2017 to September 2025. Class descriptions are the Department's own.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, monthly immigrant visa issuance tables by post and by foreign state of chargeability, Mar 2017 to Sep 2025, public domain. The class description is quoted from the Department's Immigrant Visa Symbols list. Data through 30 Sep 2025. See corrections.