Full-year data for 2021 is in, and the F-2 (student) visa outlook is positive. This means that more students are travelling with family as they embark on their study-abroad journeys. The overall number of student visas issued to students and their families is on the rise, with international students from South Korea and Saudi Arabia students driving this growth.
Earlier this year, we looked at the overwhelmingly positive increase in F-1 (student) visa trends with their return to pre-pandemic levels. Today, we’ll be breaking down the details of this growth. We’ll be highlighting top-performing source countries and taking a look at countries showing signs of growth.1
Key Insights at a Glance
- F-2 visas issued almost doubled from nearly 10,000 visas issued in 2020 to just under 20,000 in 2021.
- Nearly 2,150 F-2 visas were issued to the spouses and children of South Korean students, accounting for nearly 11% of all F-2 visas issued.
- Despite a drop in the total number of F-2 visas issued in the US from 2019 to 2021, some countries saw growth in visas issued and the percentage of visas issued.
What is an F-2 Visa?
F-2 visas are non-immigrant visas available to dependent family relatives (spouses and children) of F-1 students studying in the United States.
F-2 visa recipients and their dependents are legally authorized to depart and re-enter the US, with appropriate travel documentation. Recipients and dependents are also eligible to enroll in study at an SEVP-certified school in the US.
International students can apply for a F-2 visa at the same time as their F-1 visa. The F-2 status grants the students’ relatives the right to live in the US, but not participate in any paid employment.
US F-2 Student Visas Issued are on the Rise
In 2021, F-2 visas issued rebounded toward pre-pandemic levels following a steep drop in the previous year.
The chart below shows the number of F-2 visas issued from 2016 to 2021:
In part due to the pandemic, the number of F-2 visas issued in 2020 dropped 60% compared to the previous year. However, F-2 visas nearly doubled in 2021, rising from 10,000 to just under 20,000 issued visas.
Although F-2 visas nearly doubled last year, they actually made up a smaller overall proportion of category F visas issued than normal. Over 5% of category F visas issued in 2021 were for spouses and children of F-1 visa holders. This is a decline of about one percentage point compared to the average for 2016 to 2020. This decline is largely due to students remaining apprehensive about traveling with their families, even though borders have opened.
F-2 Student Visas by Nationality
Of the 19,820 F-2 visas issued last year, over 50% of those visas were issued to just six nationalities. The chart below shows the top 10 nationalities issued F-2 visas in 2021:
Nearly 2,150 F-2 visas were issued to spouses and children of South Korean students, representing nearly 11% of all F-2 visas issued from October 2020 to September 2021.
Just behind South Korea, Saudi Arabian and Indian nationals were issued over 2,000 visas in 2021. In 2019, Saudi Arabia accounted for nearly one in five of F-2 visas issued.
In comparison, India and China saw a decline in the percentage of F-2 visas issued from 2019 to 2021. Over 2% of F Class visas were issued to families of Chinese students in the US in 2019, dropping to just 1% in 2021. Indian F-2 visas saw a similar drop in numbers with F-2 visas accounting for 2% of F Class visas in 2021 down from 5% in 2019.
Strong Student Markets for F-2 Visas
Several countries rose above their pre-pandemic totals for F-2 visas issued in 2021, including Japan, Nigeria, and Chile.
The number of Mexican F-2 visas issued reached new heights in 2021, with an increase from nearly 2% of F-2 visas issued in 2019 to over 4% last year. This growth represented the highest number of Mexican F-2 visas issued in the last five years, with an increase of nearly 400 more visas issued than the previous high of just over 500 in 2016.
Kazakhstan and Chile saw over one quarter of F class visas issued to the dependents of F1 students, with F-2 visas accounting for 28% of all F class visas. Just behind Kazakhstan and Chile, Bangladesh saw double the number of F-2 visas issued from 2019 to 2021. This represented over 22% of all F class visas issued to students from Bangladesh.
Looking Forward
Despite a dip in international students headed to the US, international interest remains high, with F-2 student visa numbers on the rise. Families across the globe are joining students in their study abroad journey in the US. With student interest on the rise, the US remains a top destination for international students.
Schools across the US can continue to attract students to choose the US as their study abroad destination by:
- Being aware of the US’s immigration situation including up-to-date announcements made by the US government.
- Developing marketing materials to attract families from countries with high proportions of F-2 visa holders
- Increasing awareness around the application process to inform prospective students on how to better prepare for their application.
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FOOTNOTES:
1. All external data courtesy of the US Department of State.
