U.S. rejects nearly 65% of visa applications from citizens of Uzbekistan

According to a report released by the U.S. Department of State, 64.41% of B-1/B-2 visa applications submitted by Uzbek nationals for the 2024 fiscal year were rejected. This figure represents the highest visa refusal rate in the Central Asian region.

Specifically, rejection rates for B-1/B-2 tourist and business visas among other Central Asian countries were as follows: Turkmenistan – 58.8%, Kazakhstan – 46.29%, Tajikistan – 45.24%, and Kyrgyzstan – 39.14%.

It’s worth noting that in 2023, 59.56% of Uzbek applicants for category B visas were also denied, once again placing Uzbekistan at the top of the list for rejection rates in Central Asia.

Globally, the highest visa refusal rate was recorded for Laos, with 82.84% of applications denied. Other countries in the bottom five included Guinea-Bissau (76.59%), Somalia (77.02%), Senegal (74.65%), and Guinea (70.25%). The countries with the lowest rejection rates were the United Arab Emirates (1.46%), Cyprus (2.16%), and Romania (2.61%).

For context, U.S. B-1/B-2 visas are intended for short-term travel, including tourism, family visits, medical treatment, and business meetings.

Previously, the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent requested that Uzbek citizens applying for education or exchange programs make the privacy settings on all their social media accounts public. According to the embassy, this requirement is aimed at facilitating the background checks necessary to determine visa eligibility. Failure to provide such information may result in disqualification from obtaining a visa in the future.