Dress properly for visa interviews; it can influence approval – Ghana’s Ambassador to US urges

Emmanuel Victor Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, has advised visa applicants to pay close attention to their appearance and conduct when attending visa interviews, particularly as preparations intensify ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

Speaking in an interview with Adom News, Ambassador Smith explained that while visa appointments for the United States are often scheduled several months or even a year ahead, the process is currently being accelerated because of the time-sensitive nature of the World Cup.

“Normally, visa appointments can be given one year ahead of time,” he stated.

“But because of the World Cup, which is time-bound, they have to interview all applicants before the tournament starts, and the World Cup is just about a month away, so they were rushing, but the procedure is the same,” he explained during the interview with Abena Opokua Ahwenee.

According to the Ambassador, visa officers are primarily focused on determining whether applicants have strong ties to Ghana and are likely to return home after their visit to the United States.

“What the interviewing officer expects from you is the same thing,” he said, noting that immigration officials want assurance that travellers do not intend to overstay their visas.

“If you want to travel to America, which has about 50 states, the officer would want to be sure you are tied to Ghana and will come back,” he added.

Mr Smith explained that applicants who are gainfully employed, financially stable, or well-established in Ghana are generally in a stronger position during visa assessments because they can demonstrate reasons to return home after their trip.

“So take someone who is gainfully employed, for instance, in Ghana; you will definitely come back to Ghana,” he noted.

“But others are hustlers, and they are just going to try,” he added.

The Ambassador also stressed the importance of dressing appropriately and presenting oneself professionally during visa interviews, arguing that appearance can influence how applicants are perceived by consular officers.

“So I advise people to look good and dress well when going for visa interviews,” he stated. “Don’t wear tattered clothes because how will you get the visa? You will be denied the visa.”

He encouraged applicants to demonstrate seriousness, professionalism, and genuine intentions for travel.

“Dress properly, and I expect that people would have good intentions, not that they are coming to hustle,” he said.

Mr Smith further referenced his observations of immigration enforcement activities in the United States, particularly by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to illustrate how seriously American authorities treat immigration violations.

“I have seen how the ICE operates here,” he said. “They tackle people to the ground in shopping malls, and you find people running for their lives. How can you live like that?”

He noted that enforcement measures have recently become less intense but expressed uncertainty about how immigration authorities may respond during the World Cup period when visitor numbers are expected to increase significantly.

“It is now that they have calmed down, and I don’t know if it will be the same during the World Cup. They also feel people are destroying their country. So, if you have nothing to contribute to America, then you stay in your home country,” he cautioned.