Countries That Receive the Most K-1 Fiancé Visas
The Philippines leads globally in fiancé visa issuances, more than the next four leading countries combined
Source: Manifest Law analysis of U.S. Department of State data
As visa issuances reached their highest level in more than a decade, the geographic distribution of K-1 visas continued to reflect longstanding patterns in global migration to the United States. Asia received 21,026 K-1 visas in FY2024, more than double the total for North America (10,059) and substantially more than Africa (6,277), Europe (4,968), and South America (4,860). The concentration of issuances in Asia reflects the region's deep family, economic, and migration ties with the United States, many of which have developed over several decades.
The Philippines remained by far the largest recipient of K-1 fiancé visas, with 10,228 visas issued in FY2024, more than one in five of all K-1 visas issued worldwide and roughly 2.4 times the total for Mexico. Mexico ranked second with 4,180 visas, followed by Vietnam (2,208), the Dominican Republic (1,969), and Colombia (1,863). The Philippines' longstanding lead reflects a combination of historical and demographic factors rather than a recent shift in migration patterns.
The United States and the Philippines have maintained close political, military, and economic ties for more than a century, while decades of migration have created one of the largest Filipino diaspora communities in the United States. Combined with widespread English proficiency and extensive family and social networks spanning both countries, those ties have consistently made the Philippines the leading source of K-1 fiancé visas.
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