The Embassy of the United States in Ghana has noted that visa applications are largely approved or denied based on what applicants say during their interviews.
Consular General Elliot Fertik explained that although documents are important, decisions are mostly influenced by the oral responses of applicants during the interview.
Speaking to the media in Accra on Friday, May 9, Fertik said the interviews are usually brief, lasting just two to three minutes.
“The visa interview is going to be fairly short—two to three minutes. We have to process a lot of people in a short amount of time,” he said.
He added, “Officers make their decisions primarily based on what you say during the interview. This is important because, in general, the officers very rarely look at the documents you bring.”
Fertik further stressed that while applicants should still come prepared with the required documents, it is a “common fallacy” to think those documents alone will determine the outcome.
“You should be prepared with documents, but it’s not the documents that are going to make the difference. It is what you say to the consular officer that is going to be the primary basis for the decision,” he emphasized.
He also cautioned against the use of false information or fake documents during the interview, warning that it could result in not only a visa denial but also a possible lifetime ban from entering the United States.
“If you do not tell the truth to the consular officer, or if you present false documents, you will not get the visa. And it’s possible there will be even more severe penalties, such as a lifetime ban,” he warned.
