FACT-CHECK: Kalasco Miscalculates U.S. Visa Denial Rate for Liberians

Emmanuel Cooper

November 27, 2025 38 views

CLAIM: "In 2024, approximately 80 to 85% of Liberians who applied were denied a Visa."

SOURCE: Sekou Kalasco Damaro, Special Aide to former President George Weah

VERDICT: INCORRECT

Full Text: On October 30, 2025, Sekou Kalasco Damaro took to Facebook to respond to news about the U.S. government extending visa validity for Liberians from one year to two years. In his post, Kalasco claimed that "In 2024, approximately 80 to 85% of Liberians who applied were denied a Visa."

The post quickly gained traction, generating over 1,000 comments, 525 reactions, and 38 shares.

The visa validity extension was originally announced by FrontPage Africa and subsequently reposted by Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti.

Verification: The Stage Media Liberia examined official data from the U.S. Department of State to verify Kalasco's claim. According to the State Department's FY 2024 Non-Immigrant Visa Refusal Rates report, the actual visa denial rate for Liberians in 2024 was 79.38 percent.

While this figure is undeniably high, it falls below Kalasco's stated range of 80-85 percent.

Conclusion: Kalasco's claim that approximately 80-85 percent of Liberian visa applicants were denied in 2024 is incorrect. Official U.S. State Department data shows the denial rate was 79.38 percent, below the 80 percent threshold he cited.

While the difference may appear marginal, accuracy matters in public discourse, especially when discussing statistics that affect thousands of Liberians seeking travel opportunities.