A US-based Kenyan nurse and entrepreneur, Nafula Sharleen, has shed light on why many Kenyans living in the United States on temporary visas hesitate to travel back home, citing immigration risks and economic realities.
In a candid statement shared online, Sharleen said that while obtaining a visa to enter the United States may be relatively straightforward, leaving and attempting to return on the same non-immigrant visa is often uncertain.
This, she explained, creates fear among migrants who worry about being denied re-entry after travelling home.
“Coming to the US after you get a visa is easy, but going back home and returning to the US on the same non-immigrant visa is not guaranteed,” she noted.
According to Sharleen, many Kenyans who arrive in the US quickly encounter economic opportunities that are difficult to ignore.
As a result, some choose to remain in the country longer than permitted, prioritising financial stability over the risk of losing access to those opportunities.
She pointed out that this reality has led to painful personal sacrifices, including missing key family events such as funerals.
Some migrants, she said, are forced to attend burials virtually rather than risk travelling home and facing long-term bans from re-entering the US due to visa overstays.
Sharleen emphasised that for many, the decision is driven by responsibility.
“How do you expect someone who is the sole breadwinner of the entire family to travel home for a funeral and risk being banned for five, ten, or even fifteen years?” she posed.
Her remarks also highlighted the challenges faced by undocumented migrants, noting that living in the US without proper documentation has become increasingly difficult.
She urged Kenyans to avoid judging those in such situations, stressing that their choices are often shaped by survival and family obligations.