Embassies and consulates · Costa Rica
San Jose: U.S. visa waits, scheduling and visas issued
As of September 17, 2026, the State Department lists a wait of 15 days for student visa appointments and 9 months for visitor visas at San Jose. 0 of 186 posts list a shorter student wait.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
By visa type
Student and exchange visas
15 days wait
1,655 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Visitor visas
9 months wait
117,209 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Temporary work visas
15 days wait
2,208 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Immigrant visas
Scheduling Jul 2026
767 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Appointment waits at San Jose
The State Department lists how long applicants at each post wait for an interview, in months. It published these figures for San Jose on September 17, 2026.
| Visa class | San Jose | Median post | Posts with a shorter wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available | 9 months | 1 month | 169 of 187 |
| Visitor (B-1/B-2), average wait | 7 months | 5.75 months | 22 of 38 |
| Student and exchange (F, M, J) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 186 |
| Petition-based work (H, L, O, P, Q) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 184 |
| Crew and transit (C, D, C1/D) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 174 |
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
San Jose student wait over time
San Jose has ranged same day to 1 month across 24 months on record, so treat today's figure as a snapshot rather than a guarantee. The median over that time was 15 days.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
Immigrant visa interview scheduling at San Jose
In its October 7, 2026 update, the State Department listed the month a case had to become documentarily complete for the National Visa Center (NVC) to be scheduling its interview at San Jose.
Immediate relative
July 2026
3 months behind
Family-sponsored preference
October 2026
update month
Employment-based preference
October 2026
update month
Source: U.S. Department of State: IV Scheduling Status Tool · Published 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
Earlier scheduling months at San Jose →Visas issued at San Jose
The State Department reports how many visas each post issues every month. These counts are where visas were issued, not the nationality of the people who received them.
Nonimmigrant visas, February 2026
8,974
About the same as February 2025 (8,932). 121,573 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Immigrant visas, February 2026
56
19% more than February 2025 (47). 767 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Sources: U.S. Department of State: Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances and U.S. Department of State: Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
Every visa class issued at San Jose →Visitor visa refusal rate for Costa Rica nationals
The State Department publishes refusal rates by nationality, counting applicants at every post, not by post. A refusal is what applicants usually call a visa rejection. This is the rate for nationals of Costa Rica wherever they applied, not a rate for San Jose.
Adjusted B visa refusal rate, FY2025
16.14%
Ranks 144 of 199 nationalities, highest first.
How the rate is calculated →Source: U.S. Department of State: Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas by Nationality · Retrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
Get an email when San Jose changes
Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available: 9 months now
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Where these figures come from
- U.S. Visa Appointment Wait Times by EmbassyPublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
- U.S. Student Visa Appointment Wait Times Over TimePublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
- U.S. Immigrant Visa Interview Scheduling by EmbassyPublished 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
- U.S. Visa Issuances by Post, MonthlyRetrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
- U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Refusal Rates by NationalityRetrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
The State Department publishes each of these separately, on its own schedule. We show each one with its own date and never add figures from one to another.