Published on 29/04/2025
A new study by Brooks Law Firm, Rwanda, has officially ranked as the hardest country to immigrate from to the United States in 2025.
The report, covered by Irish Star, highlights how tightened immigration policies under Donald Trump’s second term have made it nearly impossible for Rwandans to secure US visas.
What the Data Shows
The study analyzed several factors between January and March 2025, including:
- Visa refusal rates
- Passport strength
- Green cards issued per 100,000 citizens
- Online searches about immigration struggles
Rwanda topped the list with the worst immigration score, signaling the deep mistrust US immigration now places on applicants from the country.
“Visas are now seen as a privilege, not a right,” the report noted.
Why Rwanda?
Several issues are behind the U.S. immigration crackdown on Rwanda:
- Authoritarian Rule: President Paul Kagame, in power since 2000, is regularly called a dictator by international watchdogs. There’s no real opposition, and Kagame changed the constitution to rule until 2034.
- Political Persecution: Many Rwandans are forced to flee due to government repression. Speaking out can lead to jail, disappearance, or assassination and even abroad.
- Mass Surveillance & Fear: Every day, Rwandans live in constant fear. The government monitors churches, schools, social media, and family gatherings.
- Human Rights Violations: Multiple reports from the UN, Human Rights Watch, and exiled Rwandans document extrajudicial killings, torture and forced disappearances.
- Assassinations Overseas: Kagame is accused of sending operatives to kill dissidents in South Africa, Uganda, and Europe, a move that alarms Western immigration agencies.
- Mass Exodus of Youth: High unemployment and limited freedom have driven thousands of young Rwandans to risk everything to escape, often ending up in refugee camps or deportation.
Opinion
As a journalist who has reported extensively on the Great Lakes region, it’s no surprise that Rwanda ranks where it does.
Kagame has turned Rwanda into a prison with borders. The country may look clean and modern on the surface, but it is built on silence, fear and blood. No democracy. No dissent. No debate.
Rwandans flee not because they hate their country, they flee because they are not allowed to breathe inside it.
The U.S. government, under Trump, may have its own harsh immigration stance, but it also reflects deep concern over Kagame’s brutal control and the rising number of Rwandan asylum seekers worldwide.
Rwanda is not being rejected because of who its people are, but because of what Kagame has done to them.
🔟 Top 10 Countries Facing Highest US Visa Challenges
- 🇷🇼 Rwanda Topping the list, Rwandans face extreme visa rejection due to political repression, economic hardship, and security red flags under Kagame’s regime. Many flee persecution or fear forced silence.
- 🇩🇿 Algeria Algerians face steep refusals due to visa overstays in the past, security concerns, and trouble proving strong home ties.
- 🇬🇳 Guinea With a fragile economy and one of the world’s weakest passports, Guineans are often denied over fears they won’t return.
- 4🇧🇮 Burundi Years of political crisis, low development, and asylum fears make Burundian applications highly likely to be rejected.
- 🇸🇳 Senegal Despite solid U.S. relations, Senegalese often fail to justify travel reasons or provide sufficient financial proof.
- 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan The only non-African country on the list. Economic issues and visa abuse history give it a refusal rate of 64.41%.
- 🇬🇲 Gambia The U.S. views Gambian applicants as high-risk due to past fraud cases and frequent overstays.
- 🇧🇯 Benin Beninese citizens struggle due to poor economic indicators and previous visa violations that raise red flags.
- 🇺🇬 Uganda Ugandans often can’t demonstrate home ties or a stable financial background, leading to frequent denials.
- 🇰🇪 Kenya Despite leading in immigration-related searches, Kenyans face a 63.32% visa rejection rate blamed on weak documentation and perceived risk.
