Why more and more Nigerians are being refused US visa
Recently, there have been reports of the US embassy being on a refusal spree for Nigerians who applied for the country’s visa after the visa interview. The popular belief now is, it is now easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than an average Nigeria passing American visa interview. Many people have lamented this development.
Many people have insinuated that US Embassy in fact does pre-decide whether to approve a visa or not. Some hold that officers at the Embassy just deliver the verdict at the interview.
How true is this?
Kathryn Berck, a retired US consular (visa) officer, answers on Quora:-
No, US embassies do not pre-decide whether to approve a visa or not. Figure it out: to examine an application and decide whether or not to approve it would take exactly as long as the in-person interview will take, or longer. Why do the same job twice? And how could the US government pay twice as many officers as they need?
And besides, US consular officers are not only mandated to give personal interviews to every visa applicant, but also can’t make a decision based solely on paperwork, even though it is often utterly bogus/counterfeit/fraudulent.
I can’t tell you how many visa applications I glanced at while the applicant was approaching the interview window, gave a moment’s thought to probably refusing it, but then the interview totally changed my mind and I was very happy to issue the visa. And vice versa.
Okay, I’m finally tired of being nagged and insulted personally by certain commenters, so comments are now closed. Sorry, but so it goes.
What is clear is, good performance in interview does help.
Hear Kathryn again: “I can’t tell you how many visa applications I glanced at while the applicant was approaching the interview window, gave a moment’s thought to probably refusing it, but then the interview totally changed my mind and I was very happy to issue the visa. And vice versa.”
A good way to prepare is to do mock interview before the actual day of your appointment where you get drilled by interview coaching experts. Not just American visa, Schengen, Canadian and other visas also require such level of preparation. Click to contact Visa Coaching experts for that.
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See also
Personal Statement Writing for those wanting admission into foreign schools
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