The US embassy in Nairobi has announced a change in visa rules, affecting Kenyan governors and other county officials. According to the new rules, these officials will no longer receive special visas to travel to the US.
Instead, they will be required to apply for category B1 or B2 visas, which are typically issued for business, leisure, or tourism purposes. This means that governors and other county officials will need to follow the same application process as ordinary Kenyans, including appearing in person for interviews, providing fingerprints, and paying the required fees.
The US embassy will only issue category 'A' visas to national government officials traveling on official business to the US, along with their spouses and unmarried children.
This change in policy may be seen as a response to concerns over the misuse of public resources by county officials during foreign trips. The new rules are expected to make it more difficult for governors and other county officials to travel to the US.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the counties about the new rules, and they are advised to prepare for the more stringent requirements when applying for non-immigrant visas.
