Embassies and consulates · Lebanon
Beirut: U.S. visa waits, scheduling and visas issued
As of September 17, 2026, the State Department lists a wait of 2 months for student visa appointments and 4 months for visitor visas at Beirut. 161 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
2 months wait
805 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Visitor visas
4 months wait
6,190 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Temporary work visas
1.5 months wait
534 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Immigrant visas
Scheduling Feb 2026
1,491 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Appointment waits at Beirut
The State Department lists how long applicants at each post wait for an interview, in months. It published these figures for Beirut on September 17, 2026.
| Visa class | Beirut | Median post | Posts with a shorter wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available | 4 months | 1 month | 147 of 187 |
| Student and exchange (F, M, J) | 2 months | 15 days | 161 of 186 |
| Petition-based work (H, L, O, P, Q) | 1.5 months | 15 days | 148 of 184 |
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
Beirut student wait over time
Beirut has ranged same day to 4 months across 22 months on record, and today's figure is at the high end. It has been faster before, so re-check before making an irreversible decision. The median over that time was 27.900000000000002 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 Beirut
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 Beirut.
Immediate relative
February 2026
8 months behind
Family-sponsored preference
October 2024
24 months behind
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 Beirut →Visas issued at Beirut
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
502
46% fewer than February 2025 (932). 8,022 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Immigrant visas, February 2026
0
100% fewer than February 2025 (98). 1,491 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 Beirut →Visitor visa refusal rate for Lebanon 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 Lebanon wherever they applied, not a rate for Beirut.
Adjusted B visa refusal rate, FY2025
39.42%
Ranks 76 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 Beirut changes
Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available: 4 months now
We email you once each time the State Department publishes a different figure. Every email has an unsubscribe link.
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.