IN May 2025, President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia argued that charging fees for unsuccessful visa applications is grossly unfair, as applicants are left with no recourse after paying for administrative processes that result in either late response or denial.
There are many instances in Zimbabwe where some countries, especially European ones, reject visa applications for no apparent reason and people end up losing their hard-earned foreign currency without recourse.
I do believe that the embassies are in money-making games as some visa appointments come way after the events or activities that one wants to attend in the a particular country have long lapsed.
The United States and the European Union have failed, on numerous occasions, to issue entry visas to applicants in time, only to call them well after their intended dates of travelling.
Imagine how much is wasted on application via their agencies, the B1/B2 visa application fees and lastly you are informed to come for an interview a month after your date of travelling.
This is scandalous and Africa should stand up against this modern-day imperialism.
African leaders should unequivocally unite against such abuse.
I have a clear example of one of my colleagues who was supposed to undergo a self-funded training in Turkey starting today.
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All the paperwork is in order, including invitation letters, to participate in the medical course for a few days.
The visa applications were done three weeks back for this non-refundable course, alas, nothing has come out of the embassy.
This is the worst type of inconsideration as it results in applicants losing thousands of dollars paid for the training?
Is it not an act of sabotage on our people and it seems many people have nowhere to turn to for recourse and their voices remain suppressed.
Our Foreign Affairs ministry should look into such issues and sit down and discuss them with the embassies involved.
My sister fully paid for a medical conference which is supposed to be held at the end of this month in San Diego in the United States.
The visa application was done early last month, alas, the appointment date was given as September 29, 2025, a whole month after the conference.
This is madness of the highest order and we should not tolerate such absurdity as a country.
This is the reason why the Zambian president is advocating for refund of visa fees.
China has introduced free entry visas for 75 countries in this world and 240 hours of transit stay for everyone at all its 60 entry points.
The country’s economy is growing at an astronomical rate, tourists are flocking there in droves and the reception there is excellent.
Why do countries like Turkey not emulate China or Malaysia?
It is not a hidden secret that Africa is still under oppression by the western world that sees itself as superior.
The most surprising thing is the same countries hunt for our natural resources on a daily basis, but degrade us to the lowest dongas of the land.
The United Arab Emirates has become a visitor’s hub today because of its visa requirement flexibility and people travel there with easy.
If one is given a visa appointment interview two months after the expected wedding date, honestly, does that make sense?
A lot is wasted in trying to get the appointment date only to face rejection because the event is now history.
Africa, this is the time to stand up and impose the same restrictions on such countries' citizens when they want to visit our countries.
Let us advocate for visa fee refund when due consideration is not taken.
It is time to stand up as a continent.
- Johannes Marisa is a medical practitioner who is the current president of the Medical and Dental Private Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe.
