Non- Immigrant Visas: The Consular Officer’s Perspective

My colleagues and I are very aware of the stress and preparation that applicants go through before their non-immigrant visa interview.  We interact with applicants at outreach events and through Internet-based communication tools.  However, the applicants do not have a chance to view the process through our perspective and in an attempt to correct some of the misinformation that has infiltrated the Internet, here is my perspective on the U.S. visa application process.


I have wanted to work for the U.S. Department of State for a long time for many reasons, but I became a Consular Officer for two very specific reasons.  One, I am the daughter of an immigrant and understand how important, yet stressful, is the process.  My father came to the United States as an immigrant and has often told me how confusing the process was for him, and how nervous he was because he did not want to make any mistakes.  Many of my family members have been granted visas to travel to and live in the United States.  I know how devastated my family would be if we were not able to travel to see each other, so reuniting families is something that gives me great fulfilment.

I also became a Consular Officer because I love to meet new people and hear more about individuals and their culture; I really enjoy this aspect of my work.  The best interactions that I have had at the visa window are more like conversations and less like an interview.  Nigeria is such a rich and diverse country and I am in the unique position to learn so much from so many people.  I leave the Embassy every day and have learned so much more about Nigeria than when I walked into work.

I understand that some applicants can be very nervous at their interview, but there are a few things that applicants do that can hurt their chances of getting a U.S. visa.  First, many applicants insist on showing us documents.  There are some visas classifications – like student visas – that require supporting documentation, but those are rare.  We do not have much time to make a decision, so encouraging an officer to look at a letter can really inhibit the applicant from proving that he is qualified for the visa.  Invitations, letters of introduction, and other such non-essential documents may be a requirement of other countries’ visa applications, but for the United States they can eat up a lot of time in an interview and take away from the one-on-one interaction that we truly desire.  Again, I became a Consular Officer to talk with people, not to leaf through documents.

Our accents are different and I know that some applicants aren’t familiar with speaking to an American.  Applicants who refuse to give detailed answers really hurt their case and make the experience less enjoyable for the officer.  I cannot express how much I enjoy hearing about a student’s future plans, a proud grandfather going to see his grandchildren, or a brilliant doctor explain the presentation that she will deliver at a conference.  Applicants should focus on explaining their interest in visiting our country and what connects them to Nigeria.  One thing that I would like to stress is how quickly and efficiently we must work.  We have very little time to make a decision and since the burden of proof is on the applicants to prove that they are qualified for the visa, it is best to engage in a conversation with us.

The false information spread about the visa process is something that is very upsetting to all of the officers.  We hate to see our applicants spend months of their hard earned income on fake documents and packages.  No one should be making a profit off of anyone’s visa application.  Again, we want to facilitate good travel, so applicants who present fraudulent documents have permanently ruined their credibility with us and may never get a visa.  This activity can result in a lifetime ban from the United States or even a prison sentence.   This is heart-breaking for us as so many of our applicants are just confused about the process and listen to some bad information.  Again, we want to learn more about your specific situation, so a visa package that you purchase and that provides identical details for other applicants does not represent who you truly are.  Remember that no one can help you get a visa but yourself.  The only true information can come from consular officers and the U.S. Embassy directly, so please be very skeptical of anyone who is making a business out of trying to get you a visa.

Lastly, I want to address the biggest myth that I have heard as a Consular Officer—that we enjoy refusing visas.  Simply put, this is not the case.  We took a solemn oath to uphold U.S. immigration law and if an applicant does not meet the requirements for a visa, we must refuse the application, no matter how much we like the applicant.  I take no thrill in ruining travel plans and I know that my colleagues feel the same way, but immigration law is passed by the U.S. Congress, and my job is to apply that law to every visa application.  I hope our applicants understand that the law is very strict and we must honor the law, which is more important than facilitating your desire to travel.  It gives me great pride to represent the United States, but please remember that we are not your enemies.  Often, the officers get together to talk about our brightest applicants of the day and lament the difficult cases.  I feel horribly every time I refuse a visa for a good, hard-working person because they do not meet the requirements.  The thrill that I get is out of issuing visas, not refusing them.

In your preparation for the interview, try to keep in mind that we left our homes to come and learn about your culture.  We take U.S. immigration law very seriously, but we also have a vested interest in a stronger relationship between our two countries.  Although fraud exists here, we know that there are some truly fantastic applicants.  People often believe that, in order to get a U.S. visa, they have to tell the story that they think we want to hear.  The only story that we want to hear is the true story about you.