The U.S. visa process is strict, and applications are often rejected for reasons such as weak home-country ties, inconsistent or incomplete documents, insufficient funds, unclear travel purposes, or past immigration violations. To help you set realistic expectations, here are the latest refusal rates for major visa types, including B-1/B-2 visitor visas, F-1 students, H-1B workers visa, and K-1, also known as fiancé visa. In this guide, we’ll break down the last 5 years of US visa rejection rates, the most common refusal reasons, and practical steps you can take to improve your odds.

Non-immigrant visa rejection rates

U.S. nonimmigrant visas are for short, purpose-specific visits. Because each case must prove a clear purpose, enough funds, and strong ties to home, rejection rates can vary widely by visa type and country. Tourist-heavy categories like B1/B2 typically see higher refusals, while petition-backed visas (e.g., H-1B, L-1) trend lower. 

What is the U.S. B1 Visa Refusal Rate?

B1 is a Business visitor for meetings, conferences, and short consultations.

• 2024: 21%.2 refusal rate (8487 refused out of 40,031 applications)

• 2023: 16.3% refusal rate (5,693 refused out of 34,979 applications)

• 2022: 14.7% refusal rate (3,771 refused out of 25,714 applications)

• 2021: 11.5% refusal rate (1,750 refused out of 15,199 applications)

• 2020: 17.5% refusal rate (3,789 refused out of 21,708 applications)

Refusals reached a low in FY2021 (11.5%), a period when volumes were still depressed and cases were atypical. As business travel rebounded, the share climbed three years in a row, reaching 21.2% in FY2024. B1 cases usually fare better than pure tourism (B2) because the business purpose is easier to document (invites, agendas, employer letters). Even so, higher demand and closer screening have pushed refusal shares up since 2022.

What is the US B2 Visa Refusal Rate?

B2 is for tourism, family visits, and medical treatment.

• 2024: 44.1% refusal rate (9,505 refused out of 21,577 applications)

• 2023: 35.0% refusal rate (4,357 refused out of 12,442 applications)

• 2022: 31.1% refusal rate (2,670 refused out of 8,575 applications)

• 2021: 41.8% refusal rate (1,786 refused out of 4,278 applications)

• 2020: 29.7% refusal rate (2,224 refused out of 7,500 applications)

B2 has the highest and most volatile refusal share among the B categories because approvals hinge on strong home-country ties, credible funding, and a clear itinerary. After the pandemic-era spike in 2021, rates eased in 2022–2023, then climbed again in 2024 as volumes and scrutiny increased.

What is the U.S. B1/B2 Visa Refusal Rate?

B1/B2 is the combined business + tourism visa (the most commonly issued B class).

• 2024: 27.8% refusal rate (2,497,104 refused out of 8,995,108 applications)

• 2023: 23.8% refusal rate (1,842,683 refused out of 7,745,109 applications)

• 2022: 20.6% refusal rate (835,003 refused out of 4,063,202 applications)

• 2021: 16.8% refusal rate (164,616 refused out of 979,573 applications)

• 2020: 31.7% refusal rate (1,003,430 refused out of 3,167,451 applications)

The combined B1/B2 line traces overall visitor visa difficulty worldwide. After a low point in 2021 (pandemic-suppressed travel), refusal shares have risen for three straight years, reaching 28% in 2024. This reflects higher demand, tighter screening, and variability in document quality across large volumes of tourist/business cases.

U.S. B-Visa Rejection Rates by Country (Average of the Last 5 Years)

The US State Department’s official FY2020-FY2024 refusal rate data show that some nationalities face extremely high rejection rates for B-1/B-2 visitor visas. Here are the top 10 countries with their average refusal percentages:

1. Mauritania – 81.2 %

2. Somalia – 73.3 %

3. Djibouti – 70.4 %

4. Liberia – 70.1 %

5. Senegal – 68.7 %

6. Laos – 67.7 %

7. Rwanda – 63.3 %

8. Guinea-Bissau – 62.6 %

9. Mali – 61.0 %

10. Yemen – 60.8 

Why are refusal rates so high for these countries?

Several factors explain these numbers:

• High overstay risks: Many of these countries have histories of applicants overstaying in the U.S., which leads to tougher scrutiny during visa interviews.

• Weak economic or social ties at home: Applicants often struggle to demonstrate strong employment, financial stability, or family commitments, making consular officers less convinced they will return after visiting.

• Documentary inconsistencies: Limited or unreliable financial records, vague travel purposes, or weak supporting evidence raise red flags and increase denials.

• Geopolitical/security concerns: Political instability, conflict, terrorism risks, or strained diplomatic relations influence stricter assessments from consular officials.

In contrast, applicants from countries with stronger travel histories, economic stability, and lower overstay risks typically experience much lower refusal rates.

What is the U.S. H-1B Visa Refusal Rate?

H-1B is for speciality-occupation workers (employer-sponsored; petition-based).

• 2024: 2.8%  refusal rate (6,298 refused out of 225,957 applications)

• 2023: 2.1% refusal rate (5,755 refused out of 271,532 applications)

• 2022: 2.4% refusal rate (5,020 refused out of 211,022 applications)

• 2021: 7.1% refusal rate (4,738 refused out of 66,307 applications)

• 2020: 2.7% refusal rate (3,525 refused out of 128,508 applications)

H-1B refusal shares are generally low because cases are pre-vetted via a USCIS petition; the 2021 bump reflects pandemic-era disruptions and smaller denominators. 

What is the U.S. F-1 Visa Refusal Rate?

F-1 is for academic students (I-20 + SEVIS).

• 2024: 41.0% refusal rate (278,553 refused out of 679,290 applications)

• 2023: 36.3% refusal rate (253,355 refused out of 698,773 applications)

• 2022: 34.9% refusal rate(220,676 refused out of 631,807 applications)

• 2021: 19.8%  refusal rate(88,583 refused out of 446,422 applications)

• 2020: 31.2%  refusal rate(50,490 refused out of 161,877 applications)

F-1 refusals are higher and more volatile, reflecting intensive review of funding, bona fide student intent, and ties, with rates rising again in 2023–2024 as volumes surged.

What is the U.S. J-1 Visa Refusal Rate?

J-1 is for exchange visitors (DS-2019 + SEVIS), including researchers, trainees, interns, au pairs, and others.

• 2024: 11.0% refusal rate (39,747 refused out of 362,567 applications)

• 2023: 11.5% refusal rate(40,961 refused out of 357,654 applications)

• 2022: 11.1% refusal rate(35,561 refused out of 320,047 applications)

• 2021: 8.4%  refusal rate (11,849 refused out of 141,511 applications)

• 2020: 9.9%  refusal rate(11,914 refused out of 120,424 applications)

J-1 stays around 8-12%, consistent with structured, sponsor-driven programs that document purpose and funding more clearly than general tourism.

What is the U.S. K-1 Visa Refusal Rate?

K-1 is for the fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen. It is a non-immigrant route to marry in the U.S. and apply for AOS.

• 2024: 11.4% refusal rate (6,130 refused out of 53,709 applications).

• 2023: 14.2% refusal rate (3,276 refused out of 23,101 applications).

• 2022: 13.0% refusal rate (3,192 refused out of 24,543 applications).

• 2021: 17.8% refusal rate (4,155 refused out of 23,373 applications).

• 2020: 23.4% refusal rate (5,143 refused out of 21,992 applications).

After a pandemic-era peak in FY2020, K-1 refusal shares have trended downward, reaching 11% in FY2024, as posts cleared backlogs and more complete, petition-backed cases moved through the pipeline. 

Why are US Visas Getting Refused?

Visa rejections are most frequently under INA Section 214(b) (you didn’t overcome the presumption of immigrant intent) or 221(g) (administrative processing / missing documents). In practice, these issues show up as:

1. Weak ties to home country: Employment, business, studies, property, and immediate family obligations aren’t clearly shown.

2. Insufficient or implausible funding: The bank history doesn’t plausibly cover the itinerary, or large last-minute deposits appear to be “show money.”

3. Inconsistent paperwork: Dates, names, bookings, or purposes don’t match across the DS-160, cover letter, and evidence.

4. Unclear travel purpose: Vague plans for tourism/business; supporting letters or conference proofs are thin.

5. Prior immigration/visa problems: Overstays, unauthorised work, or prior refusals without a credible remedy.

6. Security/name-check triggers: Certain profiles, fields, or travel histories can extend review.

7. Document gaps: Missing ITRs, employer letters, hotel/flight holds, or proof of enrollment for students.

Visitor visa refusals rise and fall with volumes, fraud controls, and macroeconomic factors, but the playbook for approval remains the same: demonstrate strong home-country ties, credible funding, and a clear purpose that aligns with your documents. If you were refused, don’t guess; rebuild your file around the weakness the officer saw and try again when you can present a cleaner, more consistent case.