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Activist and defender of human rights Boniface Mwangi has suggested that the national parliament should pass a bill to oblige the embassies of foreign countries and especially the United States to return 80 percent of the visa costs if the person who sent the application to get the visa was unsuccessful.
As it is, the United States does not cover the cost of Visa applications – once you pay those costs you cannot get them back even if your visa application is unsuccessful.
Mwangi said this after the American government announced that the cost of applying for a visa to the United States from this country has increased from the previous 22 thousand to 25 thousand shillings for students and tourists while the visa for short-term workers has increased from 26 thousand to 28 thousand.
Mwangi said that the action of not returning the expenses at all when a person's request is like daylight robbery, and asked the national assembly to protect Kenyans from what he described as fraud.
"This is how the US government collects billions from Kenyans every year. Parliament should pass a law that embassies must return 80% of the visa fee to the applicant if they are not granted a visa. We should stop this daylight robbery,” Mwangi suggested.
The US government on Wednesday, May 3 increased the visa application fee for those who want to visit there. The changes take effect from May 30, 2023, a statement from the US embassy said.
"The United States Department of State has updated the cost schedule for consular fees after a review of the costs associated with visas and other services around the world," read part of the statement.
