The number of family visit (a) visa applications and (b) visas issued, in each of the top six countries by volume of applications, in each of the last five calendar years, is shown in the following table. Reliable data for previous years are not held.
Number 2004 India Applications 91,959 Visas issued 73,562 Nigeria Applications 44,654 Visas issued 26,104 Pakistan Applications 37,375 Visas issued 17,040 Ghana Applications 24,794 Visas issued 11,772 Iran Applications 16,532 Visas issued 13,589 China Applications 14,461 Visas issued 11,852 Total applications 2004 229,775 Total visas issued 2004 153,919 2005 India Applications 110,697 Visas issued 87,763 Nigeria Applications 64,122 Visas issued 35,415 Pakistan Applications 63,561 Visas issued 39,569 Ghana Applications 18,965 Visas issued 8,839 Iran Applications 18,142 Visas issued 14,461 China Applications 16,788 Visas issued 13,754 Total applications 2005 292,275 Total visas issued 2005 199,801 2006 India Applications 120,373 Visas issued 100,195 Pakistan Applications 92,629 Visas issued 62,208 Nigeria Applications 63,972 Visas issued 32,234 China Applications 18,309 Visas issued 17,071 Iran Applications 18,295 Visas issued 16,577 Sri Lanka Applications 15,377 Visas issued 12,766 Total applications 2006 328,955 Total visas issued 2006 241,051 2007 India Applications 120,350 Visas issued 97,116 Pakistan Applications 81,141 Visas issued 50,496 Nigeria Applications 56,172 Visas issued 32,791 China Applications 20,779 Visas issued 19,211 Iran Applications 18,590 Visas issued 15,304 Bangladesh Applications 15,012 Visas issued 8,998 Total applications 2007 312,044 Total visas issued 2007 223,916 2008 India Applications 103,315 Visas issued 88,376 Pakistan Applications 65,486 Visas issued 38,272 Nigeria Applications 46,170 Visas issued 27,618 China Applications 20,845 Visas issued 19,138 Iran Applications 17,511 Visas issued 13,399 Sri Lanka Applications 12,829 Visas issued 10,832 Total applications 2008 266,156 Total visas issued 2008 197,635