Washington, October 20 — The United States issued only about 26,000 immigrant visas in February 2026, according to the State Department's own monthly statistics: 26,483 in total, as reported in detail from those tables. That is roughly half the pre-2025 monthly average of about 52,000, and down sharply from 51,563 in February 2024 and 51,058 in February 2025. The slide began earlier in the year — the total fell to 34,599 in January 2026 before dropping again in February. In simple terms, 26,000 is yaani roughly half: for every 2 green-card visas issued in a month before, now only about 1 is issued.

A New York Times analysis published on October 18, 2026 reported that the decline followed an expanded travel ban, a pause or suspension of immigrant-visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, and the suspension of the diversity visa programme. Together, the analysis found, the measures make immigration all but impossible from 91 countries and reduce the visas available in another 61 countries.

The fall hit family immigration hardest. Visas for parents of US citizens dropped from 11,367 in February 2024 to 5,264 in February 2026, a fall of 54%, while visas for spouses of US citizens fell from 9,341 to 6,847, down 27%. No diversity visas were listed in January or February 2026, compared with 4,738 in February 2024. The main employment-based classes, by contrast, held roughly steady, at 3,264 against 3,287. Student and worker visas were down about 30% in February and visitor visas about 25%. Reporting said admissions from many Muslim-majority countries fell by more than 90%, with Africa and the Middle East hit hardest.

Immigrant visas are issued by US consulates abroad, and their holders become green-card holders — lawful permanent residents — when they are admitted to the United States. The monthly tables do not count adjustment of status, the process by which people already inside the US change to permanent residence. The administration says the measures strengthen screening for security risks and for use of public benefits. Two federal courts ordered the government to resume visa processing at the end of August 2026, but many applicants remain waiting, and full updated data beyond spring 2026 has not been published.

Sources: US State Department monthly visa statistics, via The New York Times analysis (October 18, 2026); The Digital Free Press analysis of State Department tables; Mettis Global / APP; Particle News.