US Embassy in Kenya addresses visa delay complaints

The Embassy had come under fire after Kenyans voiced their displeasure with uphill task of getting a visa to travel to the US

The Embassy explained in a statement on Monday that the delays were caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, which created a backlog, but that efforts to restore normalcy were ongoing.

"Due to COVID-19 health and safety measures, nonimmigrant Visa interviews at U.S. Embassy Nairobi ceased for over a year. The Embassy restarted interviews at full capacity in February 2022," read the statement.

"This is a worldwide problem that U.S. embassies are diligently striving to address."

Due to the backlog, some applicants may face extended Visa interview wait times, as "the first available dates for a visitor visa appointment in Nairobi are in June 2024," according to the statement.

On the much-debated question of whether those who fail to get the elusive visa would be refunded, the embassy emphasized that fees would not be refunded and that Kenyans should make informed decisions before making payments upon submitting applications.

The Embassy also highlighted measures that they installed to address the current impediments, among them instituting a Visa renewal process that will not require an in-person interview for certain applicants. 

"Kenyans renewing visitor (B1/B2 category) or student Visas (F category) whose visas expired less than one year ago may be eligible to renew without an interview," read the statement.

Expedited appointments will be made for emergency situations such as "the death of an immediate family member, the need to travel for urgent medical care, and students whose program begins in less than 30 days and who will suffer irreparable harm."

The US embassy has pledged to take every possible step to expedite the process of conducting daily interviews and reducing visa interview wait times.

This, however, comes against the backdrop of widely publicized cases in which Kenyans have been denied visas by the embassy despite being in desperate need.

Last week, a Kenyan doctor, Elizabeth Amakove Wala, took to Twitter to express her dissatisfaction with the process of obtaining Visas for herself and her daughter, who was scheduled to attend a writing competition in the United States.

She claimed that despite requesting an expedited appointment, she was denied the necessary Visa, depriving her daughter of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in the global event.

A week before Wala's case, Kenyan sprinter Ferdinard Omanyala almost missed out on a spot in the World Athletics Championships due to a visa delay.