Visa issuance doubling and having less applications from improving countries can both be true. I think you want issuance by place of birth to make the comparison OP is pointing out.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/v...

> I think you want issuance by place of birth to make the comparison OP is pointing out.

I’m not seeing a year to year comparison on the page you linked. It’s calculable from the monthly figures, but I’ll wait and see if the GP responds with his own source.