A number of Nigerian students have had their plans to study in the United States frustrated as their applications for F-1 visas have been rejected, BusinessDay findings reveal.
The visa denials have left some students in a lurch, as they also lamented the financial losses caused by the development.
A 24-year-old writer, who wanted to improve her skills through a postgraduate programme in creative writing, was denied a US visa earlier this year.
The student, who asked not to be identified, said she had submitted the necessary documents, which qualified her for an interview.
“I was shocked when I got the rejection letter. The first thing that came to my mind was the disappointment for my parents. After all the time and money invested, it was still a failure,” Kike said.
She told BusinessDay that she had done everything she needed to do and provided all the necessary information for the interview to go well. She was just waiting for the green light to buy her plane ticket.
“I had looked up past interviews and prepared my answers because it meant a lot to me,” she said. “We had already made plans. It seemed like a sure thing. After all, it’s just a student visa, and I was excited about continuing my education there. I even got a great opportunity for a part-time job through a graduate assistantship programme. You can imagine how much that would add to my experience once I finished my Masters”.
Kike said she paid $350 for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System fee and N67,200 for the US Embassy visa fee.
“After submitting all these and my answers during the interview, the interviewer just looked at me and handed me the rejection letter. I was shocked to receive such a letter from the embassy,” she said. “Beyond the embarrassment of being rejected, I felt a deep sense of hopelessness for my future.
Chinaza Ofodum also experienced a visa rejection in 2022, which she described as “demoralising”.
“It was disheartening. Even though I had all the required documents, I still faced rejection. To be honest, I’m still baffled by the reasons behind it,” she said.
Student visa applications are increasingly being rejected by the US, with African applicants the least likely to be admitted, according to a recent report by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.
“More than 92,000 potentially qualified African students will be denied visas between 2015 and 2022,” it said.
It said 31 per cent of applications for F-1 student visas were denied in 2022 – a “significant” increase from 23 per cent in 2015.
Rajika Bhandari, senior adviser at the Presidents’ Alliance, said the low acceptance rates for African students were a “missed opportunity” for the US, as excluding potentially qualified and interested students went against the country’s need to attract global talent.
“Turning away such a large number of African students also limits the ability of US colleges and universities to benefit from a diverse population of international students,” she added.
Michael Ugorji, a travel agent, said getting an interview was the most difficult part of the student visa application process.
“You can get into any university in America, pay your tuition and everything else, but getting a visa appointment is the problem,” he said. “Some people even pay to get appointments from different sides, but they are still denied the visa appointment.”
“Some people who are going for the August-September academic session are forced to forfeit their admissions, even after paying the school fee, because of the delays in getting the visa appointment.”
In an email sent to BusinessDay by the US Embassy spokesperson, the US Consulate said Nigeria sends more students to US colleges and universities than any other country in Africa.
“In the 2021-2022 academic year, Nigeria sent 14,438 students to the US, the highest number of students in over 30 years,” the spokesperson said. “So far this calendar year, Mission Nigeria has interviewed over 32,000 students – with over 16,000 of those since May alone.”
According to the spokesperson, consular officers are trained to assess the circumstances of each student visa applicant, and student visa assessment policies are consistent worldwide.
“All visa applications are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act and applicable federal regulations. International students are welcome in the United States and are a top priority for the Department of State,” he said.
He said the consulate recognises the important contributions these students make to US college and university campuses, their positive impact on US communities, and the rich benefits of academic cooperation in promoting cultural understanding and advancing research and knowledge.
