Kenyan Family Denied Visas to Attend Mother's Burial in the US
A Kenyan family has decried the decision by the US Embassy in Nairobi to reject their applications for visas.
Six members of the family were seeking to travel to the US to attend the burial of their kin, Jane Wambui Muguku, who passed away on December 30th, 2020, after a long illness.
The Standard reports that she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of blood cancer, in 2018.
Jane, a Kenyan-American, moved to the US in 2001 and settled in Seattle, Washington before she was joined by her husband, John Muguku the following year.
Jane’s four children, Martin, Maina, Charles, and Irene, their aunt, and sister-in-law had planned to travel to the US to pay their last respects.
They applied for visas and paid the Sh17,600 non-refundable fee each but their applications were all rejected, with the embassy noting that they failed to provide proof that they would return after traveling to the US.
"You have not demonstrated that you have the ties that will compel you to return to your home country after your travel to the United States. Today's decision cannot be appealed. However, you may feel free to reapply at any time.”
"If you decide to reapply, you must submit a new application form and photo, pay the visa application fee again, and make a new appointment to be interviewed by a consular officer," a letter from the embassy read.
The applicants had presented a letter addressed to the embassy by the director of the funeral home where the remains of Jane are being preserved, and another by the Congress representative for Seattle, Derek Kilmer.
"We are feeling the pain because we are not going for pleasure, we are going to lay our mother to rest. We are in business, so we don't have reason to stay in the US. We just wanted a two-week visa to bury our mother and come back because we have not seen her for the last 19 years. None of us wanted to go settle there," Maina stated.
Martin said: "They didn't ask for any document. They just interviewed us. They asked who would pay for my ticket, what I do for a living and the reason for travel, the cost of the ticket and whether we have relatives in the US. Those were the common questions."
The family says they will be forced to attend the burial virtually. Jane is set to be laid to rest on January 29th.
Comments (18)
Truly sad! Sounds like the parents never traveled to Kenya since settling in the US. 19 years is so much time away from one’s family. The father should reach out to the Seattle Kenyan community for help to transport wife to Kenya for funeral. It’s costly but doable. Instead of the family spending the money to travel here, that could’ve been used for their moms travel.
As immigrants, this is probably one of the most difficult decision one has to make. Do you bury your loved ones here or endure the cost of transporting the body to your home country?
Here is my written Advance Directive. Just cremate me when I die & take a teaspoon of ashes to Kenya. No need to incur any expenses yet I am dead! Use that money for something worthwhile that will help the needy.
Soooo with you!! Our obsession with dead bodies is what leads to these endless harambees......right on, cremate me then give the money to those who need it
True
This is so unfortunate.I can not imagine someone being denied an opportunity to bury their loved one where ever they may be.However,going to aforeign country for burial,still has its requirements.
Could it be that this family is suffering for the sins of others?In other words is there a trail at the embassy showing that many have applied VISA under similar circumstance,and the results were that they did not comeback?I hope this did not count against them,if true America prides itself as putting family first.
Sorry to hear that but trust me 4/6 of those who was to travel could have continued illegally staying in United state of Gormolla.I know many who went n never to return so we should blame the embassy that much?Nowadays everything is done via the zoom or the monies they r paying for tickets for 6 people they can use it to repatriate the body home n bury it home.So guys let’s not overreact for everything.If I was Kenyan president today trust me I will either close usa embassy or make them b refunding half of the monies pple pay after bin denied the visa coz its pure corruption when u go for 3 minute interview then ur just denied visa after paying 200$.Pure theft.I heard the usa embassy in gigiri was build by kenyans who goes everyday for visa so it has become a milking cow.
And the US embassy is over 100k richer from a grieving family.
if you couldn't give them visa, why did you keep their money? What did they buy with the money? That's ripping people off in my opinion. People should be charged for visa granted not for merely applying for one.
These americans who can't even control corvid are disrespecting Kenya. They should be taught a lesson.
covid is every where in the wold not only in usa
Sorry for the loss of your mom, martin! This was a prominent business family at the coast in the 90’s and we were chool mayes with the children. May lord grant you peace! RIP your mom’s soul. Sorry for your loss. Unfortunately this embassy keeps missing very deserving cases, so sad!
And the US embassy is now more than 100k richer.
Quite inhumane! US is no longer the shinning City up the hill! It has lost its glory! May your mum RIP.
It's complicated. Meanwhile: RIP.
It is possible the parents overstayed and living illegally and thats why the children were all denied visa. How could they be US citizens yet not travel to see their children in almost 19 years? Now if the father escorts the body he could be denied reentry? Wakenya semeni ukweli saingine mshanue wengine not to make same mistake. Otherwise it doesnt make sense to have 6 people travel to zika mama in a foreign land wakati ana kwake nyumbani. Something doesn’t add up. Americans are no longer so stupid. Stupidity left with Trump.
$$$, that's what Sleepy Joe eats. Research shows that most East Africans who travel for funeral, weddings, etc don't come back. Unless they are deported (like me[pun intended].... So the family is paying for the sins of others....
Me thinks America is still a great country, though it has its problems,like any other country -including Kenya.
My opinion is western culture a funeral is not a big deal, familial ties dont matter for adults and long season of not being together hardens the embassy. They could let 2 kids go at least on compassionate grounds to get closure. A country of transactional relationships. Scratch my back I scratched yours.
May God comfort you at this time of mourning.