Worldwide approval (and denial): analysing nonimmigrant visa statistics to the United States from 2000 to 2016

ABSTRACT

Visas are the key to global travel. Especially for those outside the Western world, global travel is a luxury. Obtaining a travel visa to the United States can be expensive and the outcome uncertain. This article tracks the history of U.S. nonimmigrant legislation and examines U.S. nonimmigrant visa approval and denial statistics between 2000 and 2016 using data available on the U.S. Department of State website. Through an exploration of the three top reasons for nonimmigrant visa denials, the authors expose the arbitrary nature of denials issued under the 214b legislation, and how nonimmigrant identities get constructed through the conceptualization of the illegal immigrant.

KEYWORDS:

• Mobilities
• immigration
• nonimmigrant travel visas
• tourism
• 214b denials
• transnational identity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. See the Department of Homeland Security website for statistical data regarding NIV entries in the NIV Annual Flow Report. https://www.dhs.gov/office-immigration-statistics.

2. Please see the USDS-Bureau of Consular Affairs: U.S. Visa Law & Policy website for all data available https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0.html.

3. Please see the USDS website for a complete list of VWP countries. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visa-waiver-program.html .