F-1 student visas & legal immigration
Department of State visa issuances by class and country. State Department issuances differ from USCIS petition approvals.
What changed that may affect F-1 student visas
Documents that name this visa category in their scope
The government document itself names this visa category when describing who it applies to. This is the strongest signal we have that a change is relevant.
- NotableProposed rule, not in force
Optional Practical Training Fees
- MajorFinal rule
9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee for H-1B and L-1 Visas
- MajorFinal rule
Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media
- NotableProposed rule, not in force
Clarification of Discretionary Employment Authorization for Certain Aliens
- NotableProposed rule, not in force
Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media
Documents that mention F-1 student visas
F-1 student visas appears in the text of these documents, but they do not name it when defining who they apply to. That is OUR match, not the publisher's statement of scope. Read the original before relying on it.
- RoutineAnnouncement
Agency Information Collection Activities; Extension, Without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: Training Plan for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Optional Practical Training (OPT) Students
- RoutineAnnouncement
Agency Information Collection Activities; Extension, Without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: Training Plan for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Optional Practical Training (OPT) Students
Why visa data lags
Unlike border encounters (updated monthly) or Texas layoffs (live), the State Department publishes visa issuances only as delayed PDF tables. We show the latest official figures and label current-year numbers as projections. See data & freshness for all sources.
- State Dept Visa IssuancesCurated · delayedU.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs · updates monthly~6 months behindOn this site: FY2026 year-to-date to about April 2026 · through Apr 30, 2026Latest official: Monthly tables through August 2026 · checked Oct 18, 2026Newer official release availableCurated / manual source
Visa figures were entered by hand from the State Department's monthly tables through about April 2026; some FY2025 and FY2026 values are rounded. The State Department has published newer monthly tables that this site has not loaded yet. Current-year figures are labelled projections, never reported totals.
Visa issuances by class and fiscal year
H-1B, F-1 students, J-1 exchange, employment-based and family-based immigrant visas
View the 6 data points behind this chart
Department of State visa issuances by class and fiscal year. 6 rows · FY21 to FY26 YTD · F-1, H-1B, J-1, EB (employment-based IV), Family-based IV.
| Period | F-1 | H-1B | J-1 | EB (employment-based IV) | Family-based IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY21 | 357,839 | 125,000 | 100,148 | 65,000 | 175,000 |
| FY22 | 411,131 | 206,002 | 284,486 | 95,000 | 215,000 |
| FY23 | 445,245 | 191,961 | 300,937 | 142,000 | 230,000 |
| FY24 | 401,007 | 190,000 | 311,502 | 145,000 | 235,000 |
| FY25 | 372,000 | 165,000 | 305,000 | 140,000 | 228,000 |
| FY26 YTD | 182,000 | 96,000 | 168,000 | 78,000 | 124,000 |
What this means for you
International students
- 372,000 F-1 student visas were issued in FY2025. Reported
- FY2026 is running ~31% below last year's pace (projected full-year ~256.9K). Projected
- The largest estimated source countries for F-1 students are India and China. Estimated
This is data context only, not legal or immigration advice. Figures are labelled reported, projected, or estimated; for individual situations consult a qualified professional.
F-1 student visas by country
FY25 · estimated shares
View the 10 data points behind this chart
F-1 student visa issuances by country of nationality. 10 rows · India to Guatemala · F-1 issuances.
| Name | F-1 issuances |
|---|---|
| India | 143,800 |
| China | 124,000 |
| South Korea | 24,800 |
| Mexico | 14,900 |
| Brazil | 14,900 |
| Nigeria | 14,900 |
| Canada | 9,900 |
| Philippines | 9,900 |
| Vietnam | 9,900 |
| Guatemala | 5,000 |
H-1B approvals by country
FY24 · USCIS
View the 10 data points behind this chart
H-1B visa issuances by country of nationality. 10 rows · India to Guatemala · H-1B issuances.
| Name | H-1B issuances |
|---|---|
| India | 283,397 |
| China | 46,680 |
| South Korea | 9,024 |
| Canada | 5,800 |
| Mexico | 4,100 |
| Philippines | 3,400 |
| Brazil | 2,600 |
| Nigeria | 1,700 |
| Vietnam | 1,500 |
| Guatemala | 220 |