'It's Not Personal' - U.S. Envoy On High Visa Refusal Rates
The United States Ambassador to Liberia, Mark C. Toner, has disclosed that many Liberians are denied American visas due to their insincerity. He revealed that over 50 percent of Liberians who travel to the United States on a visit refuse to return home after their stipulated time elapses.
It can be recalled that Liberia 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.
Addressing this misfortune for hundreds of Liberians by Liberia's traditionally strong ally since its founding on the African continent, Ambassador Toner stated on the state-owned broadcaster, ELBC Radio, on Monday, October 7, 2024, that the rejection rate is not based on any personal vendetta against Liberia.
"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 foreign envoy 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.
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.
Additionally, Ambassador Toner recounted his message to the recent 104th graduating class of the University of Liberia, where he admonished them to stay in the
ir country and develop it, stating, "Travel, sure, but don't spend your life in the United States; spend it right here in Liberia."
He indicated that Liberia can only be developed if Liberians themselves stay and invest their resources in the growth and development of the country instead of the U.S.. Ambassador Toner emphasized that the high visa rejection rate for Liberians is unrelated to the bilateral relationship that exists between the two countries over many years to date, noting that the two countries have agreed on many issues.
"This is a legal process that is different from our bilateral relationship, and it is meant to control legal immigration to the United States," he added. The Ambassador also stated that many countries do not take lightly the control of their borders, which he believes is not personal.
