Embassies and consulates · Kenya
Nairobi: U.S. visa waits, scheduling and visas issued
As of September 17, 2026, the State Department lists a wait of 15 days for student visa appointments and 1 month for visitor visas at Nairobi. 0 of 186 posts list a shorter student wait.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
By visa type
Appointment waits at Nairobi
The State Department lists how long applicants at each post wait for an interview, in months. It published these figures for Nairobi on September 17, 2026.
| Visa class | Nairobi | Median post | Posts with a shorter wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available | 1 month | 1 month | 86 of 187 |
| Student and exchange (F, M, J) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 186 |
| Petition-based work (H, L, O, P, Q) | 1 month | 15 days | 120 of 184 |
| Crew and transit (C, D, C1/D) | 1.5 months | 15 days | 141 of 174 |
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
Nairobi student wait over time
Nairobi has ranged same day to 4.4 months across 24 months on record, and today's figure is near the low end of that. Nairobi has not usually been this quick, so if it works for you, book it. The median over that time was 2.5 months.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
Immigrant visa interview scheduling at Nairobi
In its October 7, 2026 update, the State Department listed the month a case had to become documentarily complete for the National Visa Center (NVC) to be scheduling its interview at Nairobi.
Immediate relative
July 2025
15 months behind
Family-sponsored preference
November 2024
23 months behind
Employment-based preference
February 2024
32 months behind
Source: U.S. Department of State: IV Scheduling Status Tool · Published 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
Earlier scheduling months at Nairobi →Visas issued at Nairobi
The State Department reports how many visas each post issues every month. These counts are where visas were issued, not the nationality of the people who received them.
Nonimmigrant visas, February 2026
1,095
30% fewer than February 2025 (1,568). 15,766 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Immigrant visas, February 2026
477
53% fewer than February 2025 (1,016). 8,300 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Sources: U.S. Department of State: Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances and U.S. Department of State: Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
Every visa class issued at Nairobi →Visitor visa refusal rate for Kenya nationals
The State Department publishes refusal rates by nationality, counting applicants at every post, not by post. A refusal is what applicants usually call a visa rejection. This is the rate for nationals of Kenya wherever they applied, not a rate for Nairobi.
Adjusted B visa refusal rate, FY2025
68.23%
Ranks 17 of 199 nationalities, highest first.
How the rate is calculated →Source: U.S. Department of State: Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas by Nationality · Retrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
Get an email when Nairobi changes
Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available: 1 month now
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Where these figures come from
- U.S. Visa Appointment Wait Times by EmbassyPublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
- U.S. Student Visa Appointment Wait Times Over TimePublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
- U.S. Immigrant Visa Interview Scheduling by EmbassyPublished 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
- U.S. Visa Issuances by Post, MonthlyRetrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
- U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Refusal Rates by NationalityRetrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
The State Department publishes each of these separately, on its own schedule. We show each one with its own date and never add figures from one to another.