United States Ambassador to Liberia, Mark C. Toner, has clarified that the high rate of American visa denials for Liberians is primarily due to concerns regarding individuals overstaying their permitted visit duration in the United States.
Ambassador Toner explained that over 50% of Liberians traveling to the U.S. on tourist visas do not adhere to the stipulated return timeline, which has led to the visa denial trend. He emphasized that this issue is not a targeted action against Liberia but rather a standard aspect of U.S. immigration policies and border control measures.
Ambassador Toner encouraged Liberian citizens to abide by visa regulations and return home within the specified timeframe to enhance their chances of visa approval in the future. While stressing the importance of sincerity and honesty in visa applications, he underlined that the U.S.
The Embassy's assessment is based on ensuring compliance with visa terms to maintain legal immigration practices. Ambassador Toner also highlighted the significance of national development and encouraged Liberians to invest in and contribute to their country's growth and progress.
Liberia was recently ranked fourth on the U.S. Department of State's list of countries with the highest visa rejection rates for the 2023/2024 period, with a rejection rate of 78.19 percent, according a U.S. State Department report. Other African countries whose citizens experienced the highest rejection rates include Mauritania (76.43%), Rwanda (71.09%), Senegal (70.47%)
Ambassador Toner clarified during an interview on ELBC Radio on Monday, October 7, 2024, that the visa rejection rate for Liberians is not driven by any personal vendetta against Liberia, its longstanding ally.
"Liberians do travel to the United States on a tourist visa; over 50 percent or a little more don't come back within the prescribed period," he said. He added that immediately when an individual enters the U.S., their visa is stamped with the date he or she is expected to leave the United States.
According to him, the United States government refers to the situation as an overstay when an individual refuses to return home at the end of the three-month period, for instance, adding that it is a major problem when people stay beyond the time stamped on their visas.
The American ambassador further emphasized that the onus is on Liberians who are given an opportunity by the United States government to apply for a tourist visa to prove their honesty. "When we realize that the refusal rate is high for young men and women who want to travel to the U.S. on a tour, it becomes tougher because they're supposed to return home to continue their work in their country," he stated.
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However, when asked why the United States would prefer a blanket transgression instead of dealing with those involved in the acts prohibited by the States, Ambassador Toner said it is not a punishment but the way the U.S. system operates, noting that the U.S. Embassy receives over 100 persons who apply for visas but they are thoroughly checked to determine whether they're going to return or stay.
"It's just a reality that the overstay rate, which is over 50 percent, has an influence on how officers at the embassy judge the cases of people who want to travel there," he added.
The U.S. Ambassador urged Liberian citizens wishing to travel to the United States to return home within the period of their visa in order to change the existing narrative. "What I would say is that, Liberians, when you travel to the United States, please come back within the period because that's the only way the calculation can drop," he said.
He stated that the over 50 percent rate is likely to drop to at least 40 or 30 percent when Liberians demonstrate sincerity, terming the refusal rate of Liberian citizens as a potential factor that leads to the massive denial of American visas to Liberians.
