A total of 8004 non-immigrant visas (visas for foreign nationals wishing to enter another country temporarily) were issued by the US Embassy in Georgetown for the fiscal year 2022, according to the US State Department annual visa statistics report. This shows an increase in visa approval when compared to 2021 when 2862 were issued and the 2255 that were issued in the previous year, 2020. More visas were granted in 2019, with 5296 applicants receiving approval.
Fewer visas were approved in 2018 with 4923 applications granted.
The number of visas granted in 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively are as follows: 15,193; 17,284; 30,121; 51,202; and 25,338.
These stats reflect a combination of B1/B2 visas.
According to the US State Department, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, posts were instructed to suspend routine visa services and provide only mission-critical and emergency services in late March 2020. This, it noted, had a significant impact on the provision of immigrant and non-immigrant visa-related services.
The US State Department also noted that posts were only able to resume limited services on a post-by-post basis beginning in July 2020, as local conditions allowed.
In August 2022, Bloomberg had reported that the US Embassy in Georgetown had the longest wait time for visitor visas. Then, the wait time for a non-immigrant visitor visa was 401 calendar days as compared to student and exchange visitor visas, which was one calendar day, and all other non-immigrant visas, which were eight calendar days.
These wait times have since significantly reduced, with the wait time for an interview required visitor visa (B1/B2) being 13 calendar days as of Sunday.
Visas in the B category cover temporary travel to the US and include B1 (temporary business visitor), and B2 (temporary tourism visitor). There are other classes of non-immigrant visas.
The visa application fee is US$160.
