MONROVIA – For ‘rock of ages’ Liberians who over the years applied and continue to apply for non-immigrant visas to the United States but denied, have expressed frustration over the refusal of the United States’ Embassy near Monrovia to refund the fees usually paid for the application and processing.
Amid rising frustration over the high rate of U.S. visa denials in Liberia, the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia has issued a fresh clarification regarding one of the most common complaints among applicants: Why is the visa application fee non-refundable, even after rejection?
“The fee is not a guarantee that an applicant will be issued a visa,” the US Embassy says.
The answer, according to the Embassy’s May 15 statement, lies in how the U.S. government defines and administers the visa process. The fee — currently US$185 for most non-immigrant categories — is not a ticket to a visa. It is a non-refundable payment for the processing of the application, whether or not the visa is approved.
“The fee visa applicants pay covers the cost of processing the application and is not refundable regardless of whether or not a visa is approved,” the Embassy reiterated. “The fee is not a guarantee that an applicant will be issued a visa.”
This explanation comes amid widespread public discontent in Liberia, where applicants frequently cite high rejection rates and muddy reasoning as a source of discouragement and distrust. For many Liberians, the US$185 application fee represents a significant financial burden — often the equivalent of a month’s salary — and is sometimes raised through family contributions, savings, or even loans. When an application is denied after a brief interview, applicants are left not only with unanswered questions but also with a painful financial loss.
Liberia has consistently ranked among the countries with the highest U.S. visa rejection rates in the world. According to a U.S. Department of State report, Africa’s oldest country and the only one with an umbilical relationship to the United States of America, led the pack with 78.19% rejection rate, followed by Mauritania (76.43%), Rwanda (71.09%), Senegal (70.47%) and Djibouti (68.37%) and Burundi (66.29%).
In fact, according to data cited by U.S. Ambassador Mark Toner during a public address in October 2024, a staggering number of Liberian applicants are found ineligible under U.S. immigration law. He pointed out that many applicants fail to meet the threshold of demonstrating strong ties to their home country — a key criterion for most non-immigrant visas, especially the B1/B2 (visitor) category.
“Visa decisions are not made lightly,” Ambassador Toner said. “Our consular officers are trained to evaluate each application on a case-by-case basis, based on U.S. immigration law. The burden of proof is on the applicant to show they are eligible and that they will return to Liberia after their trip.”
Most Liberian visa applicants are denied under Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, which presumes every non-immigrant applicant intends to immigrate unless they can prove otherwise.
Despite the high rejection rate, Embassy officials stress that the non-refundable fee policy is not unique to Liberia. “This is not a Liberia-specific rule,” the Embassy emphasized. “The same non-refundable policy applies to all U.S. visa applicants globally.”
The fee funds a wide range of services, including application intake, background checks, security vetting, anti-fraud screening, and the consular interview. “It pays for the system, not the outcome,” a US Embassy consular source iterated.
In fact, the recent temporary suspension of U.S. visa services in Liberia — due to a global change in third-party visa service providers — highlighted just how extensive and technologically demanding the process is. The Embassy was forced to halt appointments temporarily as it transitioned systems, underscoring the complexity and cost of the infrastructure supporting consular operations.
Still, many Liberians believe that more could be done to make the process less opaque. Critics argue that the short interviews — sometimes lasting under three minutes — give little opportunity for applicants to fully make their case or receive meaningful feedback on why they were denied.
Some also question whether the system adequately accounts for socio-economic differences in countries like Liberia, where formal employment records or property ownership — often used to demonstrate “ties” to the country — are less common.
In response to these concerns, the U.S. Embassy says it is working to improve communication and transparency. Officials have begun publishing more educational content on visa eligibility and preparation through social media and outreach events. Applicants are urged to review guidelines carefully and to come to interviews with honest, clear documentation that shows strong reasons to return home after their trip.
Ultimately, the Embassy maintains that U.S. immigration law — not local discretion — governs decisions, and that visa adjudication is not transactional. “Paying the fee is the first step, not a promise of outcome,” the Embassy statement concluded.
With the latest US Embassy’s clarification on why Liberian applicants for US non-immigrant visas are not refunded their monies if denied, would-be applicants must bear in mind that every necessary requirement needed to successfully obtain a U.S. non-immigrant visa have to be met meticulously to avoid frustration at the end of the day.
Also, unless the legal and administrative framework changes, the rejection rate and the frustration it brings following denial, may remain an ongoing diplomatic and public perception challenge. It is unlikely that the US State Department will change its existing procedures and requirements in obtaining a non-immigrant visa, so Liberians must expect more emotionally and financial setback in the event they apply for a non-immigrant U.S. visa.
