US Denies Visas to Moroccan Journalists Covering FIFA Club World Cup

"We regret to inform you that you do not meet the requirements for a non-immigrant visa, in accordance with section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under this law, non-immigrant visa applicants are presumed to be potential immigrants. To obtain the visa, the applicant must convince the visa officer that they are qualified for the type of visa requested and that they will leave the United States at the end of their temporary visit," reads a visa rejection letter sent by the U.S. Consulate in Morocco to one of the journalists.

According to the consulate, the visa applicant must meet certain conditions. "Before a visa is issued, the applicant must prove that they have strong ties abroad that guarantee their return to their country after a visit to the United States. These ties can be professional, educational, family, or social in nature in a country other than the United States. The applicant must also prove that the purpose of the trip is consistent with the type of visa requested," explains the American representation, specifying that the rejection decision "is not subject to appeal, but if you have additional evidence demonstrating that you are qualified for the visa, you should submit a new application."

The consulate urges the journalists concerned to undertake another process that does not, however, guarantee them obtaining the visa. "For more information on visa procedures, and if you choose to submit a new application, you must be prepared to provide information that was not presented in the first application, or to prove that your circumstances have changed since. However, there is no guarantee that you will receive a different decision."

The decision to refuse visa issuance has sparked outrage among the journalists concerned. They assure that they had fulfilled all the required conditions, including official invitation letters from the tournament organizers, namely FIFA accreditation and press accreditation from the platform they represent, specifying the nature of their professional mission to cover the event. They describe the justifications provided by the consulate as "fallacious and devoid of any logic, especially since most of them work for recognized Moroccan media institutions."

"The rejection of applications without convincing justification and without financial compensation constitutes contempt for their professional functions and an unjustified waste of their money," they believe, also denouncing the non-refund of their visa fees, which amount to about 4,000 dirhams per person.