African immigrants to the US have seen a 15-percent rise in visa refusals over the four years from 2016 to 2020, likely linked to former President Donald Trump’s hardline stance on immigration and his travel ban targeting Nigeria.
African immigrants to the US have seen a 15-percent rise in visa refusals over the four years from 2016 to 2020, likely linked to former President Donald Trump’s hardline stance on immigration and his travel ban targeting Nigeria.
African applicants seeking to study in the United States face more denials of their visa applications than people from other regions, according to a report drawing on data from the US government, the United Nations, and the World Bank.
Visa rejection rates for African students applying to study in the US have risen sharply, with 54 percent of applicants refused in 2022 from 44 percent in 2015, according to the report. Refusal rates were far lower elsewhere – mostly under 35 percent – while those from European nations remained consistently below 10 percent.
Southern Africa is the exception in the continent for its average 12 percent refusal rate for US visa applications during the review period, lower than South American or Asian students’ rates in 2022.
Seven in 10 applications for student visas from West Africa were denied last year, according to data released by U.S. higher education research company Shorelight and the non-profit Presidents’ Alliance group—making Africa top the overall chart when it comes to refusals.
Since the turn of the century, international student enrollment in the US surged 72 percent. With 1.1 million students as of 2019-20, China makes up 35 percent, India 18 percent, and South Korea four percent—while Nigeria is sub-Saharan Africa’s major representative with 12,860 students or one percent.
Student visa refusals have been on the rise in many countries, with South America experiencing a more than twofold increase from under 10 percent during the Barack Obama administration. According to Shorelight, only Australia, China, Brazil, South Africa and parts of Europe have bucked this trend. Reasons for the uptick include heightened scrutiny of prospective students’ financial paperwork and post-graduation plans by consular officers, as well as reduced staff capacity at US consulates.
African immigrants to the US saw a 15-percent rise in visa refusals over the four years from 2016 to 2020, likely linked to former President Donald Trump’s hardline stance on immigration and his travel ban targeting Nigeria.
Sub-Saharan immigrants to the United States typically arrive with higher education levels than their native-born counterparts. Studies suggest these college-educated immigrants are a boon for American productivity.
As African countries struggle with security and opportunity issues, gaining access to higher education in North America and Europe is becoming more attractive, providing an escape route to those seeking greater stability and prosperity.
As student visa refusals for Africans rise, Rwanda is emerging as a viable alternative for higher education. The country hosts two new educational institutions: Carnegie Mellon University’s Africa campus, which opened in 2011, and the African Leadership University, which opened in 2017. These initiatives seek to provide more options for students looking to stay on the continent for higher education.
