The United States Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia, has issued an explanation addressing a common question from Liberians and other foreign nationals who are denied visas to the U.S.
Following the release of the 2024–2025 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery results, the embassy responded on May 15, 2025, to widespread concerns about why visa application fees are not refunded when an application is denied.
In a post on its official Facebook page, the embassy explained that the application fee is used to cover the administrative costs involved in processing a visa application.
They emphasized that the fee is non-refundable, regardless of whether a visa is approved or denied. The embassy concluded by stating that paying the fee does not guarantee that a visa will be issued.
“The fee visa applicants pay covers the cost of processing the application and is not refundable regardless of whether or not a visa is approved. The fee is not a guarantee that an applicant will be issued a visa.”
