U.S. issuance of nonimmigrant visas for S. Koreans falls by 8 pct

SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's issuance of U.S. nonimmigrant visas declined by nearly 8 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to data analyzed by a lawmaker's office. The office of Rep. Hong Kee-won, a member of the ruling Democratic Party, reported that 68,130 visas were issued to South Koreans in 2025, a 7.95 percent drop from 74,015 issued in 2024.

The decline was observed across various visa types, including the B-1 business visa and the B-2 tourism visa. Following the surprise detention of hundreds of South Korean workers in Georgia in September, visa issuances increased, but in January and February 2026, the numbers fell again. F-1 international student visa issuances for South Koreans also saw a significant drop from an average of 1,195 per month in 2024 to 965 in 2025, and 273 in January and February 2026.

The lawmaker attributed this phenomenon to the new U.S. administration's anti-immigration policies, urging efforts to normalize visa issuances through diplomatic channels. Despite the global impact of these policies, the decline was relatively smaller for the U.S. than for other major countries.