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It will take one month to get US visa interviews - Whitman

The ambassador said when she took over, she got a backlog of 24,000 unprocessed visas

In Summary
  • Previously, there were complaints of overdue visa interviews with others waiting for over five months to receive a date. 
  • In September, US Embassy in Nairobi announced the expansion of the Interview Waiver Programme for non-immigrant visas.
US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman
US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman
Image: FILE

United State Ambassador Margaret Whitman has said it will now take you a few weeks to get a visa interview online. 

"The good news is if you go online today, you can get a visa interview by end of December," she said. 

Previously, there were complaints of overdue visa interviews with others waiting for over five months to receive a date. 

Whitman said when she took over her office, she got a backlog of 24,000 unprocessed visas, which would have taken up to June 2024. 

"When I came in, you couldn't get an interview until June 2024, all of this was due to Covid-19, we got everyone to come together. I fingerprinted one morning, showing that everyone has to get back in the game,"  she said

Whitman spoke during an interview on Citizen TV.

In September, US Embassy in Nairobi announced the expansion of the Interview Waiver Programme for non-immigrant visas.

“Effective immediately, those applying for tourist/business, student, or crew visas categories may be eligible for a visa renewal without an interview,” she said.

Whitman said to qualify for this program, one must be applying for the same visa category.

“Your visa cannot have expired more than four years ago.  Formerly, the limit was one year,” she said.

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