Common Reasons for US Visa Refusal in Ghana

A lot of Ghanaians who wish to travel to the US may have had their hope dash because of visa denial at the embassy. They are a number of reasons for US visa refusal in Ghana. Although this reasons may vary, the notification of refusal will usually specify the provision (s) of the law upon which the finding of ineligibility was made and whether any remedy, (usually a waiver) applies.

What is US Visa Refusal

A visa refusal is when an applicant is denied their non-immigrant visa application by a U.S. consular officer according to the Immigration and Nationality Act.

According to the U.S. immigrant law, if an application is not able to prove that he/she meets the requirements to be issued a visa, a visa must be denied. Reasons could be that the application submitted by the applicant does not meet the requirements of the visa category which he applied for, or because there are grounds for ineligibility based on other aspects of the visa case.

Reasons for US Visa Refusal in Ghana

They are various reasons why most Ghanaians are denied visa at American Embassy. According to the U.S. State Department, Ghana continues to rank among the countries with the highest United States Visa application denial rates.

One of the main reason is that Ghanaians constitute the 5th largest number of people who have overstayed their visas in the US; up there with India, China, The Philippines and Russia which have much larger populations”.

According to statistics, when it comes to B Visas, which deal with tourism or business, Ghana ranked 7th with 65.7% of such visa applications denied in the 2016 fiscal year, according to figures from the US Department of State.

Aside from that, we will also look at other top reasons why Ghanaians are denied the United States of America Visa.

No Home Ties

If you have no strong home ties with things like family, kids, business, land properties and other things which should bring you back to Ghana often, you may be denied a visa. It is important that you show the embassies a legal proof that will convince them that you will always return home voluntarily.

For example, you may bring a letter from your current employer, on letterhead, with your position/job title, length of employment, and monthly salary and your three most recent months’ bank statements.

In many cases, younger applicants may not have had an opportunity to establish these ties, the U.S. law then considers educational status, school grades, and long-range plans in the home country

No Travel History

Presenting a “virgin passport” always creates doubt to embassies. One of the criteria that most embassies consider is the number of countries you have visited. However, this does not mean that if you have a genuine reason and complete requirement, you will not be allowed to travel to the United States. If you are a first-time traveler, I implore you to do a proper research on how to apply for US visa.

Falsified Documents

A lot of visa applicants are guilty of this. Some Ghanaians may be unable to get some of the original documents needed for visa application such as bank statements, Certificate of Occupancy and many others. Other travelers go as far as replicating original certificates that will get them into troubles and sometimes, they are banned for years from travelling to the United States.

Insufficient Funds

Traveling to the U.S. requires money. You need a reasonable amount of money to make ends meet especially in the U.S. You must be able to satisfy the embassy beyond every reasonable doubt that you are financially comfortable before they can allow you leave Ghana.

Most embassies will assume that you are seeking permanent entry into their country until proven otherwise. One way of proving to them otherwise is to present evidence that you have strong economic reasons to return to your country.

Also, the pattern and consistency of in-flow and outflow of funds recorded in your account are one of the most credible evidence that the American embassy relies on to justify giving you a visa or denying you.

If there is a sudden surge of in-flow of funds in your account that is not consistent with the average pattern over the previous 12 months, then you need to explain it. Failure to provide a believable explanation will discredit your earlier claim and this will most likely earn you a refusal.

Poor Interview Skills

Attending a visa interview is a tricky and vital stage of visa application. This is a reason why you must be well groomed and prepare before your visa interview. You may meet all the requirements but you may still be denied a visa because of your poor interview skills. Also, your answers during the interview must be sincere and consistent with your supporting documents.

Wrong Visa Category

Before you start your visa application, you must get yourself acquainted with the types of US visas available. The visa category must correspond to your reason for making the trip. A pregnant woman applying for a visiting visa to the U.S. may likely be denied a visa. The right type of visa should be a Medical visa. As such, you need to make a good research about the United States visa first and which one you fit in.

To help you secure the U.S. visa without denial, we have put together a complete guide on how to apply for US visa in Ghana, check it out today.