What determines who is granted the B1/B2 visa after a visa interview at the US Embassy in Nairobi? The answer to this question has remained a puzzle, given the number of deserving candidates who are denied temporary visas at the Embassy despite their strong establishments in Kenya.

One of these is Caroline Gikunda, an entrepreneur with established, well-known businesses in Malindi, Kenya. Ms. Gikunda, recently share the horrendous experience she was subjected to when she went for her visa interview at the US Embassy in Nairobi. Here is what she shared:

“As we clean up the rot in Kenya, someone needs to call out US Embassy in Nairobi  The American Embassy in Kenya. The American Embassy in Kenya is the greatest scam of modern times.

The US Embassy in Nairobi is here to milk Kenyans fraudulently through the visa application fees.  My experience with this Embassy in December 2023 was dehumanizing, humiliating, horrendous and torturous for lack of worse terms.

I got my invitation in November 2023 and went through the gruesome process of the visa application that needs the details of your grandmother at some point.  The pay was translating to a whooping Sh. 28,000.

Applying in late November, appointment space was available in July 2024, but a friend advised that if you keep the system open and keep checking especially in the ungodly hours of the morning, a chance may open up.

I tasked my son with this assignment, he would be checking out opening chances and one day it happened.  He booked my appointment at 7am on the 13th of December.  My brother who also wanted to travel was booked same time the next morning.

I needed supporting documents to prove to the Embassy that I was attached to my motherland and I would certainly come back.

A solid week of gathering bank statements, logbooks, title deeds, company registration certificates, son’s school reports, appointment letters to several school boards, bank’s brand ambassador adverts…just anything that proved that I was stable and intended to come back.

With my file of documents ready, I booked my flight to Nairobi from Malindi.  And the following day I woke up at 4am… To drive from my sister’s house in Rongai and be at the US embassy in Nairobi at 7am for my visa interview.

Nairobi US embassy visa officer’s mood, luck determines who gets visa

At the embassy, the queue was like 3 kilometres long; I am yet to figure out how I managed in heels. I went through the sinister security checks, and finally was told to switch off my mobile and hand it over to some security guys who resembled chiefs from the colonial era.

Inside without the phone and the wait was another 30mins. I eventually got in and queued at the counter. At the counter no one looked at the documents I spent so much time putting together.

A mean looking lady in her mid 20s had less than five seconds for me. She didn’t bother to look at my invitation letter, passport or any of the supporting documents…She just asked where I was going and what I was going to do.

Then said “sorry, try next time” and handed me the pink paper and shouted “next” while I was still standing at the counter… I was traumatized. I don’t know how America can be termed as the land of Equity or Civilization while they have such an ugly face in the Republic of Kenya.

You see, to be denied a visa is not a big deal, the big deal is to obtain people’s money using false pretense. To deny people visas after pocketing their money without giving them an opportunity to look at their documents or listen to them.  And, obtaining money from thousands of people such that you have no time to interview them.

I couldn’t believe that the Great America that is sung about was represented by that office offering shoddy under services.

In my experience, America is ugly and unjust. Indecent, barbaric and uncultured. I still shudder when I remember the short horrible experience in the hands of my tormentors.

A few weeks later, I applied for the UK Visa. The UK application even gave you an option to be helped as long as you could afford it. The system required you to upload all your documents, meaning a decision would be made depending on your documents.

I completed the application on a Friday and an appointment was open the following Monday. It didn’t require one to travel to Nairobi, the Embassy has an agency in Nyali Mombasa.

At the agency I drove to the building. Packed outside and walked in.  A smiling security welcomed us in and asked me to put my phone on silent.

5 minutes later, they had taken my biometrics and pictures. They received my passport and gave me a waiting card. I left feeling that I had been served and my dignity honoured.

Every single step of the way, there was an email. To let you know that your passport had been received. It had been transferred to Nairobi. It had been taken to South Africa. A decision was being made on it. It had been dispatched back. It was ready for collection from your collection point.

I went to pick up the passport after 15 days and again the same smiling guard ushered me in. 5 minutes I had picked up my passport.  “Enjoy your trip” the pleasant person issuing the passport back smiled… And for real, I absolutely enjoyed my 3 weeks summer break in London, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Preston Lancaster, Scotland and Wales.

I loved it and by the time it was over I couldn’t wait to come back for son, family, Alpha Charlie Realtors  Drivers’ at Alpha-Charlie The Alpha-Charlie Inc  and a myriad of my other important engagements. As you can see, I certainly came back.

Dear America. Please style up! It’s not everyone looking for a visa who wants to come and stick in your country. Some of us just want to go to Miami for a cruise ship. We are very comfortable back home.”