Embassies and consulates · Rwanda
Kigali: U.S. visa waits, scheduling and visas issued
As of September 17, 2026, the State Department lists a wait of 1 month for student visa appointments and 1 month for visitor visas at Kigali. 134 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 Kigali
The State Department lists how long applicants at each post wait for an interview, in months. It published these figures for Kigali on September 17, 2026.
| Visa class | Kigali | 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) | 1 month | 15 days | 134 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 month | 15 days | 117 of 174 |
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
Kigali student wait over time
Kigali has ranged 15 days to 3 months across 24 months on record, so treat today's figure as a snapshot rather than a guarantee. The median over that time was 1.73 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 Kigali
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 Kigali.
Immediate relative
January 2026
9 months behind
Family-sponsored preference
October 2026
update month
Employment-based preference
October 2026
update month
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 Kigali →Visas issued at Kigali
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
162
21% fewer than February 2025 (206). 2,758 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Immigrant visas, February 2026
15
84% fewer than February 2025 (96). 1,410 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 Kigali →Visitor visa refusal rate for Rwanda 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 Rwanda wherever they applied, not a rate for Kigali.
Adjusted B visa refusal rate, FY2025
64.71%
Ranks 23 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
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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.