Research reveals that foreign nationals being denied a visa can escalate mental health risks

Jan 26, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

According to my estimate, the odds of Cuban foreign nationals getting a visitor’s visa to America are roughly one in ten. There’s no shaking it. Their chances of being approved for a visa are extremely slim. Foreign nationals are more likely getting struck by lightning than getting a visa.

In 2017, more than 22.4 million people applied for a U.S. visa programme, and only an average of 500,000 green cards or lawful permanent residence was issued. The American’s Embassy in Guyana is robbing poor foreign nationals, primarily from Cuba, flying to Guyana to apply for B-2 tourist visas for the purpose of visiting America. I want to share with you the experience of a foreign national who traveled to Guyana to apply for a visitor’s visa.

When José, (not his real name), an engineer, walked into his visa interview at the American consulate in Guyana, he wasn’t nervous. He felt good. José, a 26-year-old Cuban national, thought he had a strong case for getting a visitor’s visa. Applying for a US visa does not come for free. Instead, there are various US visa costs and US visa application fees that you must pay.

I met José through a small hotel, which I own. Like many of the foreign nationals visiting Guyana, José stayed at my place. He traveled many miles to Guyana. He paid $3000 (American’s dollar) in expensive to apply for the visa. This includes, plane fare (US$1900), accommodation (US$600), visa application and documents (US$280).

And after all of that great financial burden, and the distance he traveled, in less than 10 minutes, he was denied the visa. José dreams of visiting America was shattered, and his money that he worked so hard for was gone, disappeared and vanished. José is a talker who talks all the time, but after the interview, he never said a word. He was silent and was weeping. He was devastated and shocked.

Editor, so I decided to do an investigation into the issuing of US visa. From my observation, approximately 200 foreign nationals come to Guyana daily to apply for visitor’s visa. The US Embassy visa application fee is US$280 per person; approximately 200 people per day apply for a visa, the embassy collects US$56,000 per day or US$280,000 per week or US$14,560,000 per year.

Editor, that’s a lot of money which the embassy is making off poor people. And the worst part in all of this, Editor, like José, most of the foreign nationals are being denied visas.

The embassy is taking advantage of poor people. I am appalled by the bad treatment of these poor people. I am ashamed that Americans are treating them like this. I would never believe that such a mighty country would take advantage of poor people. Editor, is this practice of the embassy of giving foreign nationals false hope of getting a visa and taking advantage of them financially illegal? No. Is it immoral and unethical? Yes. Having been denied a visa, José was devastated, shocked and hurt. Research reveals that foreign nationals being denied a visa can escalate mental health risks.

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