Applying for a U.S. visa: These nationalities have the highest rejection rates

A man hugs his 13-year-old Yemeni son at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the United States. (AP)

Rejection rates of U.S. visa applications by country. (Image/Statista)

U.S. President Trump sparked controversy late last year by proposing restrictions on travelers from Muslim-majority countries and imposing a ban on citizens of Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. However, according to data from the U.S. Department of State, compared to the countries listed above, travelers from three other countries face even higher visa rejection rates when applying for U.S. visas.

When applying for a U.S. visa, applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial means to return to their home country and prove they have no immigration intent. According to an analysis by international data firm Statista of the U.S. Department of State's approval rates for tourist visas to the U.S. last year, the country with the second-highest rejection rate is Brazil, followed by Afghanistan at 73.8%, Mauritania at 71.5%—both higher than Libya’s 70.2%, which was previously included in the travel ban list.

The survey indicates that although U.S.-Brazil relations have improved over the past few months, Brazil still has the highest visa refusal rate globally at 81.9%. Other countries in the top 12 with the highest visa rejection rates include Bhutan, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Somalia, Guinea, and Bangladesh.