Thousands of Kenyans are paying $185 (Ksh 24,000) in non-refundable fees for U.S visa applications, only to have their requests denied, raising concerns about the fairness and transparency of the process.
The fees, which must be paid upfront, are not refunded even if an application is rejected, leaving many applicants frustrated and questioning the high cost of trying to travel to the United States.
As of May 30, 2023, the US Embassy announced increases in visa application fees for several non-immigrant categories.
Fees for tourist and business visas (B1/B2), as well as for student (F) and exchange visitor (J) visas, rose from $160 to $185.
Petition-based visas for temporary workers (H, L, O, P, Q, and R categories) increased from $190 to $205, while fees for treaty traders, treaty investors, and specialty occupation applicants (E category) jumped from $205 to $315.
US Embassy Pockets Billions in Non-Refundable Fees as Kenyans Are Denied Visas
The current US visa application process is drawing criticism for functioning like a costly lottery, where the odds are stacked against applicants.
Officially, US visa rejections are often linked to doubts about whether applicants intend to leave the country before their visas expire. According to the US Embassy, most refusals are based on “reasonable doubts about the visa applicants’ intention to return home.”
However, the risk of illegal overstays alone does not fully explain the significantly higher rejection rates among Kenyan applicants.
In the 2024 fiscal year, 63.32% of all Kenyan tourist and business visa (B-visa) applications were rejected, leaving thousands of hopeful travelers disappointed and out of pocket.
Kenyan students who apply to study at universities and colleges in the United States experience the highest visa refusal rate of any international students applying to the US, with more than half of applicants rejected in 2023.
US authorities denied 74% of Kenyan student visa applications in 2023, placing the country third in Africa for the highest rejection rate.
A study published by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, analysing application trends over the years, showed a significant disparity in visa issuance between students from Africa and those from other parts of the world.
Although the number of visa refusals was high in the Middle East and South America, Africa recorded the highest rejection rates.
Ethiopia led the pack with 78 per cent of denials, followed by Nigeria with a 75 per cent denial rate in the year 2023, while Kenya came in at a close third.
Also Read: US Embassy Shares Tips for Kenyans Applying for Visas
Kenyans Slam US Embassy Over High Fees and Visa Rejections
In an effort to guide applicants, the US Embassy in Nairobi shared a video on Thursday, March 26, on visa applications, urging Kenyans to “Be honest. Respect the rules. Return home on time.”
The message, however, sparked strong reactions online, with the majority of social media users venting frustration over repeated visa rejections and high non-refundable fees.
@RalphSungu, “Why do you charge non-refundable fees that are so high just for interviews, and 70% of people don’t even get visas? This is a scam on Kenyans. It is millions you reap from Kenyans. Explain what those fees do for those who don’t qualify.
@RalphSungu questioned the practice, asking, “Why do you charge non-refundable fees which are so high just for interviews, and 70% of people don’t even get visas? This is a scam on Kenyans. It is millions you reap from Kenyans. Explain what that fee does for those who don’t qualify.”
Others shared personal experiences of frustration and financial loss. @benjizworld wrote that he had been denied a visa twice in one year despite submitting a valid employer letter proving ties to Kenya, while @NyangLLP said, “My F1 visa was denied for no reason; I lost a Ksh 3 million scholarship. This is unfair.”
@LucyWanjau recalled a bitter experience: she was initially told she had been successful after her interview, only to receive her passport later with a rejection enclosed.
Another user, @That_Kenyan_G, described the embassy as “a joke” after his 70-year-old grandmother was denied a visa despite submitting all the correct documents.
Several users criticized the non-refundable nature of the fees, with @Mutichilolaw writing: “Why is the visa fee never returned to unsuccessful applicants? Keeping the whole amount is thievery in disguise.”
@jonniewan added, “The US Embassy Nairobi is in the business of making money, ripping off vulnerable Kenyans by denying visas even though most are eligible. Why not refund a fair part of the fee if one is ineligible?”
With the introduction of the new $250 “Visa Integrity Fee”, the baseline cost of a US visa has risen to $435 (KSh 56,500). The fee remains non-refundable, adding to the financial burden for applicants, many of whom face repeated rejections.
Also Read: US Warns Visa Applicants on All Practices That May Lead to Appointment Cancellation
US Embassy on Why Visas are Denied
According to the embassy, an application may be denied because the consular officer lacks all the information required to determine whether the applicant is eligible for a visa.
Others include when an applicant does not qualify for the visa category for which he or she applied, or because the information reviewed indicates the applicant falls within the scope of one of the inadmissibility or ineligibility grounds of the law.
An applicant’s current and/or past actions, such as drug or criminal activities, as examples, may make the applicant ineligible for a visa.
The Kenya Times reached out to the US Embassy in Nairobi for clarification on visa rejection, but a spokesperson had not replied at the time of writing.
